^^ v.. % 








:- "^^^n^ 






• '^ ^ *V 














%,*^'-'/ 























.^^^•"♦. 














o '^ 















./%. 












« •«- 









P^^. - 



^'^^. • 













.^ oV^^^Jia'- ^^l.*' ^^£M^r^. ^^^S 



■<t* 




•rfSSN^*- O 












jp-n^ 














"'^v.^^' 

.-i^^^. 




«J. A^ /^ 





With "E" of the First Gas 

BY 

Sergeant William L. Langer 

AND 

Private Robert B. MacMullin 






Copyrighted igig 
By Robert B. MacMullin 



MAY -3 1919 



HOLTON PRINTING CO. 

NINETY-NINE MYRTLE AVENUE 

BROOKLYN, N. Y. 

©C1.A515423 



/W\3 \ 




■'THt:RMlTE" 

Burning Out a Bothersome Machine-gun Nest at Dawn 



To the 

Men of Company " E," First Gas Regiment, 

in memory of their devoted 

service in France 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PACE 

A Letthi from General Fries 7 

Foreword 9 

Gassing the Boche 11 

"The Gas and Flame" 25 

With "E" of the First Gas — 

Chapter I. En Route 26 

" II. Training 34 

" III. The Fight in the St. Mihiel Salient. 41 

" IV, The Struggle in the Argonne 52 

" V. The Drive Towards Sedan 67 

" VI. "FiNiE La Guerre" 11 

" VII. Our Last Battle and Homeward 

Bound 87 

Mud, Mud, Mud! 97 

In Memoriam — Lieutenant John V. Fleming 101 

" — Private Robert M. Mayne 102 

Casualty List 103 

The Roster 105 

Autographs 112 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING PAGE 

Thermite Frontispiece 

Captain Roscoe B. Dayton, Commanding Company "E" 

OF THE FlKST GaS 9 

Cross-section of a Levins Projector, Dug in Ready to 

Shoot 16 

Our Chief Weapon of Offense 19 

Chaumont 36 

Map — The St. Mihiel Salient 40 

Carrying Party 44 

Map — The Argonne Forest 51 

Varennes 56 

Map — "La Fille Morte Line" 58 

Over the Meuse at Varennes 62 

The Gap of the Aire 66 

Sommerance 68 

Remains of a Boche Trench in the Argonne 74 

Choignes on the Marne 84 

Company Picture 116 



A LETTER FROM GENERAL FRIES 

The following contents of a letter received from 
Brigadier General Fries, Chief of the Chemical Warfare 
Service, is published to the Regiment : 

"The war is over and apparently the work of the First Gas 
Regiment. If a few could be kept as Gas troops and trained 
as such with the Army, I would be willing to have you remain 
for a while in France; otherwise, I am making every effort to 
have the Gas troops sent promptly to the United States. 

"At this time, I desire personally, and on behalf of the 
Chemical Warfare Service as a whole, to express to you and 
the officers and men of the First Gas Regiment under you, our 
pride and profound admiration of the work you have done. To 
take a new regiment and in a few short months teach it an 
entirely new method of warfare, known to few but the enemy, 
and so handle that work that the Chemical Warfare Service, 
as well as the regiment, became favorably known throughout 
an army of nearly 2,000,000 men, is an achievement of which 
any body of men may well be proud. 

"Not only is the First Gas Regiment well known, but its 
work has been so excellent that demands for more Gas troops 
were constantly increasing in numbers and insistence. Every- 
where the work has been spoken of as that of brave and able 
men, who feared no enemy and no hardships, and who stopped 
only when complete exhaustion overpowered them. 

"Whether the Chemical Warfare Service will be continued 
in peace remains to be seen. That your work will always be 
remembered and that it will be the guiding star for such work 
in any future war, should, unfortunately, our country ever again 
have to enter upon one, is absolutely certain." 

The Regimental Commander wishes to express his 

deep appreciation of the loyalty and unselfish devotion 

to duty of both officers and men, which made possible 

the results which prompted this letter. 

B. J. Atkisson, 
Colonel, First Gas Regiment. 




Captain Roscoe B. Dayton 
Commanding Company "E" of the First Gas 



FOREWORD 

Men of Company E, the serious purpose for 
which you came over seas, you have accom- 
plished. The task of defeating Germany's 
famous army was not an easy one. It was your 
privilege to participate in the great American of- 
fensive, to engage in a new and dangerous 
method of fighting, and to actually inflict great 
loss upon the enemy, I am proud to be in com- 
mand of such a superb body of men, who as a 
company showed great willingness and team 
work, and who individually proved themselves 
brave, worthy soldiers. 

You and I are mighty glad that our fighting 
days are over. We are even more anxious now 
to muster out and shed our khaki uniforms. 
Then may your home-coming be a welcome one, 
and as you resume life where you left off, take 
with you my heartiest wishes for your happiness 
and prosperity. 

Capt. Roscoe B. Dayton, 
Commanding Company "E," 
First Gas Regiment. 



GASSING THE BOCHE 

Warfare has been revolutionized by the use of poison- 
ous gases. To the destruction and mutilation wrought 
by high explosives, shrapnel, and machine guns ; to the 
terrors of aerial bombardment and submarine torpedo, 
Germany has added the subtle horrors of burns, blind- 
ness, strangling and asphyxiation. For years previous 
to the War, Ostwald and her other great chemists ex- 
perimented with and devised new gases of lethal potency 
for the purpose of insuring the defeat of Germany's 
enemies and to bring about her domination in world 
politics, commerce, and science. With the use of gas 
new international disputes arose as to the right and 
wrong of the thing; but after all, international law seems 
to operate successfully only in time of peace. All's fair 
in war. So, without discussing the ethics of the matter 
at all, we merely wish to show how the tables were turned 
against the very perpetrator of the act. And it is with 
no little pride that we exhibit the most specialized, highly 
scientific fighting organization in the AUied Armies, The 
First Gas Regiment, Chemical Warfare Service. 

The Germans let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, 
at Ypres in 1915, where the Canadians had brilliantly 
stemmed the oncoming tide of Teutons. Suddenly vast 
clouds of chlorine gas, released from cylinders, rolled 
over the lines, killing scores of helpless soldiers, and 
paralyzing the entire sector. Evidently the Germans did 
not realize the eflfectiveness of the attack, for they did 



12 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

not follow it up with infantry operations at all. Still, 
for several months following she accounted for huge 
casualties in the British Army. In a remarkably quick 
time, however, our chemists devised a sure protection 
against not only chlorine, but any other gas the Boche 
might possibly use. Every soldier was then provided 
with a gas mask, which was worn as a sort of fetish 
around the neck, ready at all times. Gas defense became 
an established fact, and its perfection is a familiar story 
to all. 

In a short time, also, English chemists connived to 
retaliate with gas. The Royal Engineers took up the 
work ; and because of better prevailing wind conditions, 
actually outdid the Germans in cloud attacks. Then a 
new phase of the game appeared — shell gas fired by the 
artillery. No longer did the Germans have to wait for 
proper winds, nor fool with cumbersome cylinders in the 
trenches. With gas stored conveniently miles behind 
the lines, they could now gas any particular spot behind 
the Allied lines. Blue, green, and yellow cross shell be- 
came the dread of working parties and motor lorries 
hitherto safe from gas. But not for long. The game 
of checkers proceeded. English and French artillery 
busied themselves, and by 1918 actually were throwing 
back three gas shells for every one that came over. 

The English did the Germans one better still. They 
invented the Levins projectors, by which thousands of 
shells could be shot simultaneously, producing such a 
high contraction over so large an area, that the results 
were terrible and irresistable. They brought out the 
use of the Stokes trench mortar for cleaning out ma- 
chine gun nests with gas and liquid fire The Germans, 
of course, copied these methods, but were not nearly as 
successful in putting them into operation. 

In the matter of gas itself, the English demonstrated 
their superiority. The Germans used chlorine, phosgene, 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 13 

diphosgene, chlorpicrin, diphenylchlorarsine (sneezing 
powder), and dichlorethylsulfid (mustard), all of which 
proved impotent against the respirator box. The Eng- 
lish used similar chemicals, but much more lethal and 
concentrated. The "P. S." gas, for instance, will easily 
penetrate the German "maulkorb," or "jaw-basket" 
mask. Thermite, the spray of molten iron, has never 
been duplicated by the Boche. 

So that was the situation into which we stepped with 
our entrance into the war. Let not all the credit, how- 
ever, be given to the English. It is true that we appro- 
priated the methods tried by the Royal Engineers at 
the start, as a basis to work upon. Then the brainiest 
and most able chemists of America organized the Chem- 
ical Research Division of the Army, and set to work 
improving old methods, inventing new ones all the 
while. With the theory that the war would be a long 
one, it became obvious that chemical warfare was worthy 
of a separate organization in the Army, ranking the 
Engineers. Accordingly, the Gas defense, Chemical Di- 
vision, and the 30th Engineers were all combined into 
the Chemical Warfare Service, with Brigadier General 
Fries as Chief. The combatant troops became known as 
the First Gas Regiment, Colonel Atkisson commanding. 
We went into action as early as February, 1918, on the 
Flanders front, at Armentieres. Under capable English 
instruction we soon learned "how the Royal Engineers 
did it," and co-operated with them successfully through- 
out the spring, and later at Chateau Thierry. 

So far the battle line had been more or less sta- 
tionary — at least a matter of trench warfare, in which 
grenading, sapping, and well-planned gas shows played 
an important part. By September the great American 
Army was in a position to launch an offensive all of its 
own on the Champagne and Lorraine fronts. Ever since 
the battle of Saint Mihiel, trenches have been almost 



14 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

obsolete; the line advanced so rapidly that indeed there 
was no time to construct the elaborate trench systems 
so popular with the French and Germans. So the Gas 
Regiment was called upon to do unprecedented service; 
and it evolved a style of fighting distinctly original and 
strategic. 

Before giving an account of "how the Yanks did it," 
a review of our ordnance and organization is appro- 
priate. In the early days it was proposed that a "flame- 
throwing" regiment be formed, for the purpose of clean- 
ing out enemy dugouts and trenches durmg an infantry 
advance. Benzol, a light inflammable oil, is carried in a 
two-gallon cylinder strapped to the back of the operator. 
Attached is a small cylinder of compressed air, by which 
the oil is forced out through a hose and nozzle, in a long, 
thin stream. A range of possibly sixty feet can be ob- 
tained, necessitating a close-order form of combat, to say 
the least. The spray is ignited at the nozzle, and becomes 
a blazing jet of flame. The extreme danger in operat- 
ing the apparatus is apparent, to say nothing of the won- 
derful target offered to enemy snipers. So the Flame 
Regiment was abandoned. The Germans themselves 
discontinued their corresponding corps, and I believe 
none but the daredevil Italian "x\rditos" used "flame" 
with any success. 

The original and principal purpose of the regiment 
was to use gas. Should the occasion warrant it, we 
were prepared to make cloud attacks by the following 
improved method. Cylinders containing about forty 
pounds of the liquified gas are brought up in trucks as 
near the line as possible, and then carried by the men to 
the position in No Man's Land. The valves on the 
cylinders are arranged so that they may be opened by a 
small percussion cap, which is detonated by an electric 
current from an exploder box. A battery of ten cylin- 
ders is wired in series, the leads running to the rear at 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS IS 

a safe distance. At zero hour, a single man can thus 
let loose the whole battery by merely pushing down on 
the plunger of the exploder. The liquid comes sputtering 
out of the valves with a great hissing noise, evaporating 
into heavy clouds which are borne by the gentle wind 
over the enemies' lines. The noise itself is unmistakble 
and warns Fritz in plenty of time for him to adjust his 
mask. The wind should be blowing from four to twelve 
miles per hour in the right direction, but Nature is apt 
to disregard the metereological criteria at the critical 
moment, and render the attack unfavorable. Cloud gas, 
therefore, was seldom, if ever used by the Americans. 

Gas projector shows were very prominent in the 
Spring of 1918. Let us see with the aid of the accom- 
panying diagram, what the Levins Projectors look like. 
They resemble great iron test tubes, four and a half 
feet long with an eight-inch smooth bore, weighing some 
one hundred and forty pounds each. Their maximum 
range is but seventeen hundreds yards, so it is necessary 
to operate in No Man's and as in the case of the cylin- 
ders. A battery of twenty are implanted in a ditch dug 
for the purpose, resting on iron base plates which take 
up the recoil. The guns are lined up with the objective, 
set at an angle of forty-five degrees, with the muzzles 
just level with the surface, and are held in place with 
tamped earth. Then charge boxes containing the pro- 
pellant of cordite and the detonating fuse are thrust into 
the projectors, the two wires leading out of the muzzles. 
The size of the charge, by the way, is adjusted to give 
the proper range to the projectiles. The battery is wired 
up in series, the main lead wires running back a hundred 
meters or so to the exploder box, hidden in a place of 
safety. The bombs themselves are shaped somewhat 
like real fat cigars, the thirty pounds of gas being loaded 
from one end in a liquified state, and the bursting charge 
and fuse being placed in a "Gaine" tube inserted in the 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 17 

Other end. The bombs, on being fitted out with Mills 
pistol heads, are lowered into the projectors, and the 
circuit tested for leaks. All is ready. All men withdraw 
except those who operate the exploders. At zero hour, 
when the various batteries are set off, the following 
events take place : the dynamo in the exploder generates 
the current which fuses simultaneously the tiny platinum 
wires in each charge box ; these ignite the percussion 
caps, which detonate the cordite which sends the shells 
hortling on their way. The initial shock releases the 
inertia pellet in the Mills pistol head, which sets the 
Bickford fuse agoing in each bomb. At the end of 
twenty seconds, by which time the bomb has soared and 
landed at the predetermined range, the time fuse has 
reached an explosive cap in the interior ; and thus the 
iron shell is ripped open, releasing the liquid poison, 
which immediately vaporizes. All this happens in a 
much shorter time than it takes to tell it. Now imagine 
hundreds of these batteries being set off at once, and 
you can see what a dreadful barrage must result. Whole 
areas are drenched with gas which no mortal can escape. 

Of course, the Levins method was good only on a 
stationary front, for a big show required several nights 
of steady work in advance. And it used to be no easy 
matter for a man in the carrying party to shoulder a 
hundred and forty pound projector, in addition to his 
rifle, pack, gas mask, and helmet, and to stagger for sev- 
eral miles perhaps in a muddy trench in absolute silence 
and darkness ; to stop dead as a Verey light soared over 
his head, or drop when a machine gun started popping. 
There was real downright drudgery and pathos in a 
carrying party of the First Gas, yet our men worked 
uncomplainingly throughout. War was ninety-nine per 
cent hard labor. 

Still another use to which projectors were recently 
put was the shooting of T.N.T. in place of gas. On the 



18 IVITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

night of September 26, near Varennes, one of our par- 
ties sent over a ton or more of this high explosive in 
one dose, and completely annihilated Hill 285. Another 
time bombs were filled with thermite, and the fuses 
shortened to secure an air burst. Several batteries were 
trained against a town held by the enemy ; not only were 
the fireworks phenomenally spectacular, but they set 
the entire town afire ! It burned for several days. These 
feats, of course, were novelties. The fact is that during 
the American drive very few projector shows were at- 
tempted, the companies most generally being organized 
into Stokes Mortar outfits. 

That brings us to the use of the trench mortar which, 
because of its lightness, its portability, and the great 
variety of effects possible with it, came to be our chief 
weapon of offense. Briefly, it consists of a four-inch 
smooth-bore barrel, four feet long, weighing some 
ninety-six pounds ; an iron base plate to take up the 
recoil weighing sixty pounds ; and a bipod by which the 
gun is elevated and traversed, of some thirty-six pounds 
weight. The other adjuncts consist of sandbags, a ram- 
rod, a kit of tools, and a pick and shovel. Five men can 
just handle the apparatus, and therefore there are that 
many men on each gun team. To set up the gun, ele- 
vation and azimuth (direction) being given, the base 
plate is lined up and imbedded in the ground at a slope 
of ninety degrees minus the angle of elevation, and held 
secure by sandbags. The barrel is then set at right 
angles to the base plate, and is supported by the bipod, 
the plane of whose legs is parallel to the base plate. 
The final adjustments are made with the inclinometer 
and the prismatic compass, to secure accuracy of fire. 

Now the barrel is always elevated around fifty-five 
to seventy degrees, so that a projectile inserted at the 
muzzle will slide easily to the breech. That is the special 
feature of the Stokes mortar ; it is not a breech loading 



A 



IS! 



sj'll 






i: 



<5-A5 



r/zs/fM/rs 



6T0KES 




Our Chief Weapon of Offense — the Four-inch 
Stokes Mortar, and Bombs 



20 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

piece, like a cannon, but muzzle loading, awkward as it 
may seem. At the breech there is a striking pin which 
explodes the propellant in the bomb the instant it slides 
to the bottom. So one has but to feed the gun with 
bombs, which go "tooping" into the air in rapid fire. As 
many as twenty-five shots to the minute is about the 
record firing speed. 

There are a variety of Stokes bombs — one for every 
desired purpose. In general, they are steel cylinders 
resembling rolling pins, about fourteen inches long, hav- 
ing a total weight of twenty-six to thirty pounds. In 
particular, they may classified into two types : those 
which burst after landing, and those which are timed to 
burst at a certain height off the ground. The first class 
include all gas shells, which are cast solid to preclude 
the danger of leakage. In the forward end a well ex- 
tends to the interior, and in it is inserted a Bickford 
twenty-second time fuse; a Mills pistol head is then 
screwed into the opening. As in the case on the Levins 
projectiles, the purpose of this arrangement is to cause 
the shell to be ripped open gently on the ground, allow- 
ing the gas to seep out as a liquid. A violent explosion, 
or an air burst, would dissipate the gas and render it 
harmless. Hence the familiar sound of the gas shell: 
a dull ''phlop," resembling a dud. On the rear end of 
the bomb is attached a container for the propellant of 
E. C. 3 powder, which is put up in the form of several 
"biscuits." The range of the Stokes projectile can be 
varied by the number of these biscuits as well as by 
elevating the barrel of the gun. 

The other type of bomb includes both the smoke 
and the thermite shells. In the forward end is inserted 
a Gaine tube and a No. 31 time fuse. The latter is set 
to explode the powder in the tube when the bomb reaches 
the critical point in the trajectory. The propellant takes 
the form of several "doughnuts" of cordite, which slip 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 21 

around a container and a cartridge used to detonate 
them. 

With that basis to start upon, let us see how the va- 
rious chemicals are used in practice. Suppose the in- 
fantry is about to advance under heavy machine gun 
fire. Several Stokes gun teams would then produce a 
smoke screen across the German trenches to obscure the 
movements of our troops. The smoke bomb contains 
white phosphorous, and is timed to explode just as it 
hits the ground. Dense gray clouds of smoke are liber- 
ated, which, though harmless, have a bewildering effect 
on those caught in it. 

Or it is sometimes possible to fool Fritz with our 
so-called "skunk" gas, an evil smelling formyl com- 
pound. This gas is absolutely harmless, though very 
disagreeable. The enemy, thinking it to be the "real 
stuff," will put on his mask, while our infantry advance 
with perfect freedom and fight to inestimable advantage. 

If it is desired to make the enemy wear his mask 
for long periods of time, lachrymatory gases are used, 
such as bromacetone, and the so-called "S. K." gas. 
While not deadly, unless in heavy concentration, these 
weeping gases will produce great suffering ; and because 
they linger in every nook and corner, even in the clothes, 
for a considerable length of time, a high concentration 
is not necessary. One shot a minute will do the trick. 

For actually gassing the Boche, there is nothing so 
good as the "P. S." bomb, a mixture of eighty per cent, 
chlorpicrin and twenty per cent stannous chloride. And, 
of course, phosgene and diphosgene are used consider- 
ably because of their extreme deadliness. However, in 
this case, we must take Fritz by surprise — gas him before 
he has time to put his mask on at all. To accomplish 
this we fare forty or more rounds of shell in rapid suc- 
cession from each gun, thus producing a terrific local 
concentration of gas. Phosgene does not linger such as 



22 JVJTH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

the lachrymatory gases do, but volatilizes very quickly. 
For that reason it is possible to pull off a gas show just 
before our infantry go over, and in no way endanger 
our own men. Of course, the wind conditions must be 
considered first, and the company meteorologist decides 
whether the gas show will be effective. Sometimes the 
wind will become unfavorable before zero hour; this 
spells "washout," and a lot of wasted energy for all 
concerned. 

More than any other kind of shell, we shot the famous 
thermite. It is a mixture of powdered aluminum and 
ferric oxide, which on ignition reacts chemically with 
the liberation of intense heat. The iron reduced in the 
reaction is heated to a molten state, and falls thus, a 
shower of "liquid fire." 

It is possible to shoot T. N. T. from our four-inch 
Stokes, but in general we left that to the regular three- 
inch Stokes outfits attached to the infantry, who make a 
specialty of that sort of thing. 

That sums up pretty well our ordnance — what we 
had to work with in the game of war. The distinctive 
"Yankee" style which I have mentioned before, was 
brought forth by the continual American advances. 
"You gave us no rest," one Hun prisoner put it. A full 
company was found to be too large a unit to be effective, 
so the entire regiment was split up into platoons and 
spread fan-like across the entire American front. Some 
were projector outfits, but for the most part the platoons 
were organized into four Stokes teams and a carrying 
party. 

Let us simulate an offensive typical of those in the 
Argonne. The usual procedure, preparatory to a big 
drive, was for the platoon to move up to some town 
within shelling distance of the lines and to establish an 
ammunition dump there. The bombs and equipment were 
prepared by day and carried up to the lines under cover 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 23 

of darkness. The objectives were given us by the in- 
fantry commanders — probable impedimenta and snags in 
the advance ; our own gun positions were then selected 
accordingly. Firstly, they had to be within maximum 
range; secondly, advantage had to be taken of all nat- 
ural cover, such as woods, hills, trenches, holes, and so 
on. Careful preparations would be made, and several 
nights be spent in carrying up an abundance of ammuni- 
tion with which to follow up. 

The stage would now be set. The "heavies" and the 
"seventy-fives" would open up at about two or three in 
the morning. At four we would pull off our gas show, 
phosgene. At five the infantry would go over behind 
our smoke screen and through our skunk gas. As the 
Boche machine gunners opened up, we would wipe them 
out with thermite. Pill boxes would be smashed with 
T. N. T. from a battery of projectors. The drive would 
be on. 

With the second wave we would take down our guns, 
and load them onto pushcarts. Burros brought up from 
the rear would "carry on " with the excess ammunition. 
We would follow up the infantry as fast as we could, 
and if they were held up at any point we would go there 
immediately. In the Argonne Forests we were bothered 
by myriads of snipers and machine gun nests, rarely en- 
countering any infantry. Therefore, selecting a central 
dump, usually old German dugouts or pioneer parks, we 
would operate from there day and night, striking first 
here then there, wherever resistance was greatest. Sup- 
plies under those conditions could generally be brought 
up by truck from the main dump almost to the lines, and 
whenever an important objective was reached, such as 
a village or captured town, the entire headquarters would 
move up. And so on, till the infantry simply had to wait 
for the artillery to catch up. In a few days the whole 
program would repeat itself as before. 



24 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Our work is now at an end, and only the memory 
remains. From the historical account of our adventures 
it is noteworthy that since we went into action on Sep- 
tember 8th and continued up to the time the Armistice 
was signed, Company E of the First Gas was continually 
on the lines, save for a single respite of one week. We 
pursued the retreating Hun like Nemeses, harrassing, de- 
stroying, and killing off his last stubborn rearguard. If 
we gave him no rest, neither did we rest ourselves. Now, 
our ordnance has already become antiquated. New 
mortars, guns, and gas methods will be invented for the 
future. Yet it is apparent, as General Fries has said, 
that the First Gas Regiment has played an integral and 
important part in the American and Allied victories ; and 
from this there is every reason to believe that the Chem- 
ical Warfare Service will continue to exist and to main- 
tain its high efficiency and reputation in the Army of the 
United States. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 25 



"The Gas and Flame*' 

Ain't it a shame, ye boys 'at came 
At the call o' the trumpet ter fight the game 
O' War an' Death in our country's name, 
And joined the famous "Gas and Flame," 
Ter have ter sweat in Virginy's sun 
A' wastin' time when the War ain't won. 
While our pards is fightin' like sons-o'-guns 
Across the Pond ter halt the Hun? 

Talk o' blood an' iron, an' sniper's pie — 
Why, the most we do is swat the fly, 
An' bunk fatigue in a canvas sty 
With a 'skito bar fer a lowly sky. 
Now what the Hell in the summer time 
Is the good uv an O. D. woolen blouse 
That swathes yer up like a bloomin' louse 
When the mercury's out fer a record climb? 

An' three lectures a week on etiquette, 

While strategy's not been thought uv yet; 

An' buryin' the food yer haven't et, 

A-starving the pigs an' the animal pets. 

Oh, they's chlorine and phosgene and mustard oil, 

But I guess it ain't accordin' ter Hoyle, 

Fer the issuin' gas from the Colonel's post 

Is what we have ter contend with most. 

I guess it's enough ter make yer sore. 

This naggin' an' raggin' an' laggin' some more. 

An' drillin' a man till he's stale before 

He gets his chance ter fight in the War. 

Now if its true, as the officers claim, 

That ter-morrer's the day the "Gas an' Flame" 

Pack up fer France, — why ain't it a shame 

It's always ter-morrer, — an' who's ter blame? 

Fort Myer, Va. Pvt. Robert Burns MacMullin. 



WITH •*£" OF THE FIRST GAS 

CHAPTER I. 

EN ROUTE 

As THE years pass by it will become increasingly 
difficult for men to understand or appreciate the feelings 
that dominated the hearts and souls of American troops 
still in the home land during the spring of 1918, while 
the newspapers were occupied with chronicling almost 
in the same breath the last gigantic oflfensives of the 
enemy and the first brilliant successes of the more for- 
tunate boys who were already in France. Whatever may 
have been the forebodings and fears of the pessimistic or 
faint-hearted, it is certain that in our company enthusi- 
asm ran high ; impatience is the word that characterizes 
the spirit of the men. And it is natural that it should 
have been so, for two companies of the regiment (at 
that time still known as the 30th Engineers, "Gas and 
Flame") had left on Christmas Day, 1917, while the 
end of February had seen the departure of the next two. 
It seemed reasonable to expect, then, that Companies E 
and F should follow them shortly, especially since "Early 
Service Overseas" was the catch-phrase that had drawn 
the recruits from every corner of the Union. But day 
after day passed in infantry drill on the hot and baking 
drill ground at Fort Myer, and hearts sank deeper and 
deeper as rumor after rumor proved to be false. We 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 27 

finally decided that ours was a jinx company. No one 
could explain the situation. In May began the record- 
breaking transportation of troops overseas ; but we 
did not go. We were anxious to fight, but they taught 
us only ceremonies and etiquette. "Gas and Flame" 
was the alluring name of our prospective work, but 
they trained us only in "Squads East" and "Squads 
West." Surely something must be wrong, and soon that 
whole company of red-blooded young Americans was 
resigning itself in despair to the gloomy prospect of 
indefinite drill, guard duty, innumerable inspections — and 
fatigue. 

But the end was not yet, nor was the future to be 
less eventful than we might have hoped. It was just 
about the middle of June that the order for our de- 
parture finally arrived. From that time on things moved 
quickly. Equipment was brought up to date, barracks 
bags were packed, arrangements for shipment com- 
pleted, — everything in perfect regulation, so faultless that 
anything from personal appearance to baggage would 
have caused the proverbial Hoyle unspeakable delight. 
The preparations continued unmarred by any disap- 
pointments until on Friday, the 21st, after a delicious 
banquet, we struck tents, slung packs, and set out on 
our first move, which, like so many of its successors, 
was carried out in a drizzling, disagreeable rain. Not 
even inclement weather, however, could dampen our 
enthusiasm, and it was a cheerful, hopeful lot that 
caroused in the railroad coaches until weariness suc- 
cumbed to sleep. 

The next morning found us in the terminal at Jersey 
City, and it was not so very long before we were ferried 
up the river to Hoboken. There we lost a little more of 
our patience while standing in innumerable lines with 
heavy packs on our shoulders, until finally we boarded 
the transport. At last things seemed to be going our 



28 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

way, for early the next morning (I remember it was 
clear and warm) the ship slipped out of the dock and 
dropped down the harbor to Sandy Hook, where a 
large convoy gradually assembled. Even the most 
skeptical had to admit that we were under way at last. 

But our jinx was still with us, as we soon agreed 
when the convoy began to steam off while we returned. 
It seemed incredible, and yet it was true. We docked 
in the same place from which we had sailed and all the 
explanation we could get was one to the effect that the 
refrigerating plant on the ship had broken down and 
that it might take two weeks to repair it. The prospect 
was gloomier than ever, and we were all conjuring up 
pictures of two weeks' confinement in our uncomfortable 
quarters when, on Monday morning, we hurriedly dis- 
embarked, marched through Hoboken and entrained for 
Camp Merritt, New Jersey. 

We were destined to spend only five days on land, 
however, and although without exception we were de- 
jected and indignant with Fortune, there were but few 
who later on would not agree that our stay was pleasant. 
The splendid opportunities for entertainment, the beauti- 
ful weather and the passes to New York City which fell 
to the lot of the more diplomatic among us, these all 
served to make our sojourn a sort of farewell festivity. 
In fact many regretted having to leave, when, very early 
in the morning of June 28th (Friday) we set out on a 
long night hike, tramping with heavy packs some eight 
miles to the river. It was a cold, misty morning, and, 
unaccustomed as we were to any real hardship, we 
did not relish the trip very much. Being packed like 
sardines on a ferry boat and taken to Hoboken again 
did not improve our ill-humor either. In fact the boys 
did not regain their spirits until we were once again 
lodged on the U. S. S. President Grant and until we 
had lined our stomachs with an ample meal. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 29 

But this time we sailed, and the Sunday morning 
that we steamed down the harbor will ever be vivid 
in the memory of each and every one of us. The 
weather was all one could wish for, one of those warm, 
sunny June days that make the whole world look gay 
and the future promising. Add to this the ferry boats 
full of cheering holiday crowds, the fresh green of the 
water and the trim harbor islands rising up to meet a 
perfect sky, then you will understand that none of us 
waved the Statue of Liberty good-bye without fully 
expecting to see it again. As before the ship anchored 
off Sandy Hook, so that in the evening we had ample 
opportunity to see in the distance the sparkle and glitter 
of the harbor resorts. None of us were anxious to go 
below, for, as ill-luck would have it, we had been 
assigned to the third deck down, the memorable section 
4-D, where the surroundings were anything but attrac- 
tive. Who is there among us that does not recall the 
narrow aisles, the inadequate lighting, the triple bunks, 
the bad odors, the endless mess line, the lack of matches, 
the salt water for washing, the countless guards, and 
the never-to-be-forgotten "You can't stand here, you 
can't stay there !" Life on an army transport is cer- 
tainly not all that could be desired, and every one of us 
was quite contented if, with a book and a greasy mess-kit 
we could find some out-of-the-way corner to sit down and 
keep quiet. Unfortunately, such spots were rarer than 
hens' teeth, and wherever one went one seemed to be 
in the way. Oh, there were plenty of inconveniences and 
discomforts, all right, even if one omits speaking of 
those life-boat drills that came just when they were most 
annoying. Sometimes even now when my bones ache 
I think that the ailment must date from those bargain- 
counter rushes for the rafts. 

But the trip had its redeeming features, too. For 
many of the western boys the ocean was a new element. 



30 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

and they benefitted from the influence of the keen salt 
air, the endless expanse of restlessly rolling blue water, 
the splendid sky. Perhaps the most impressive experi- 
ence of all, however, was the sight of that tremendous 
convoy plowing its way ever on and on, carrying some 
90,000 troops more for the Kaiser to reckon with. The 
weather was clear and pleasant throughout the entire 
voyage, especially so on the 4th of July, when, at 
twelve o'clock noon the Stars and Stripes ran up to every 
masthead while the leading cruiser thundered forth its 
salute and the bands played. I was never so filled with 
pride as when I watched all those ships nosing up the 
spray and churning their way to the land whither duty 
and the call of adventure summoned us. 

We did not encounter any submarines, though on one 
rather rough day the cruiser belched forth a few times 
at some suspicious object, probably a whale. More- 
over, the trip was growing tedious as the tenth day 
passed. The considerable variations in the temperature 
make it reasonable to suppose that we crossed the ocean 
in zig-zag fashion, going north possibly as far as the 
latitude of Iceland, and south to that of the Azores. 
We had no way of knowing how much longer this 
procedure would continue. Still signs of the approach- 
ing end gradually multiplied ; there were life-boat drills 
at 2 :00 and 3 :00 A. M. that lasted till daylight, and more 
destroyers finally arrived, making possible a regular 
patrol around the convoy. After that we all began look- 
ing for land, for some time, however, in vain. It was 
not until the late afternoon of a cool drizzly day, Friday, 
July 12th, that we first sighted land in the shape of some 
rock-bound islands. These gradually increased in size 
and number, until at last we found ourselves steaming 
into a rather narrow, river-like bay, the shores, bleak 
and rocky, reminding one irresistibly of the old New 
England coast. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 31 

So this was France, and in those few dimly-lit cot- 
tages they spoke French, and that large captive balloon 
was for military purposes ! For the first time we realized 
the proximity of war, and for the first time our chances 
of getting to the front seemed good. We went to bed 
late that night, but few of us slept. Some were worried 
about rumors of having to stay on board for a week 
to do stevedore work, others were too excited about being 
in France to care about anything else. The next morn- 
ing dawned fair and warm and for once, though it was 
the 13th, luck was with us. In the early hours we were 
taken off the ship and ferried to the wharf in a lighter. 
From the moment we landed we realized that it was a 
country quite different from our own on which we had 
set foot. At first sight everything seemed antiquated ; 
there were those little old locomotives that, with the 
date 1840 or 1850, we remembered having seen in school 
books ; there were the narrow, crooked streets lined with 
quaint, uncomfortable-looking stone houses ; there were 
the wooden-shod inhabitants that spoke a language 
strange even to those of us who thought they knew a bit 
of French. 

The question as to where we were going was soon 
solved, when, after a hike of some miles, we found 
ourselves marching into a prison-like enclosure sur- 
rounded by a twenty-foot stone wall. Within we dis- 
covered a number of low, long buildings, in one of 
which we were soon lodged, some in very frail and 
uncomfortable bunks, some on the floor. It was a 
new experience and everyone took it with a smile, even 
that ice-cold shower bath under a pipe from which 
the water came drop by drop. The place seemed ex- 
ceedingly old, so that we were not surprised to find 
out that these Pontanezan Barracks had been already 
old at the time when Napoleon I, over a hundred years 
ago, was training troops for the invasion of Britain. 



32 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Our stay in Brest was short, and while we were 
there time passed rather pleasantly in the Y. M. C. A. 
or at the canteens, where we had our first opportunity 
to play with French money and to pay the exorbitant 
charges that are prevalent in France. The weather had 
turned cold and rainy again ; in fact it was ideal for 
the movements of the 30th Engineers. Consequently 
we started out on Monday, the 15th, and marched back 
to the docks, where we entrained. All of us were 
anxious to get into those "dinky" little coupes. No 
one had any faith in them, and our mistrust was not 
decreased when, on a slight grade, one of the couplings 
broke. The rear end of the train, which began to return 
to Brest, threatened to collide with some other cars, 
so we all jumped off, landing unharmed, though in 
ludicrous postures. We were soon again under way, 
however, trying to get settled comfortably in the narrow 
little compartments, which were made to hold eight 
men, eight packs, and ample rations of the kind we now 
know so well, corned beef or "Willy," tomatoes and 
bread. 

At first we were delighted with the trip, for the 
scenery was wonderful. We found France a veritable 
garden land. The rock-bound coasts, the sandy beaches, 
and later the soft hills, the clear-cut fields of waving 
wheat or the trim vegetable patches, the groups of red- 
tiled stone houses, the canals and the white roads, both 
lined with fabulous lines of splendid trees, all these are 
memories inerradicably impressed on our minds. Re- 
markable as it may seem, all the days of our trip were 
characterized by fair weather, so that we got the maxi- 
mum of enjoyment from the four-day ride that took us 
from Brest via Rennes, Laval, Le Mans, Chartres, Sens, 
and Troyes to Chaumont. Not infrequently we stopped 
for some time in the larger places, so that we had a 
chance to see, at a distance to be sure, such notable 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 33 

sights as, for instance, the famous cathedral at Chartres. 
But the tediousness of the riding and the lack of sleep 
combined with the startling news from the Chateau 
Thierry front, where the Boche was preparing his 
thrust toward Epernay, made us impatient to reach our 
destination. 

It was early on the morning of the 18th (the day 
on which the Americans successfully counter-attacked at 
Chateau Thierry) that we pulled into Chaumont, and 
that, once again in a drizzling rain, we set out to cover 
the five miles up hill and down, past the experimental 
field, to La Ville aux Bois. Everyone was stiff and 
cramped from the long railroad ride, so that the way 
seemed particularly long. But even so, I believe not a 
few of us were struck by the remarkable beauty of the 
landscape, for the surroundings of Chaumont, with its 
wooded hills, green meadows, and the winding Marne 
Canal are eminently picturesque. Moreover, we soon 
regained our spirits when the kitchen of "Q" Company 
had feasted us with hot cakes and coffee. Tired as we 
were, it did not take long for us to make ourselves 
comfortable in the barns and hay-lofts which, during 
the period of our training, were to be our homes. 



CHAPTER II. 



TRAINING 



Excepting for the fortunate few who found diver- 
sion in the occasional society of some fair French 
demoiselle the period of our training was rather a dis- 
tasteful one. We had come to France practically ig- 
norant of the nature of our work and were quite anxious 
to do something besides infantry drill. Our desires 
were at first fulfilled, at least after a fashion, for it was 
not long before we were at the experimental field digging 
trenches. Some of us had taken part in this great outdoor 
sport in the States, and had found it not particularly to 
our liking. But there we had dug in earth, here we were 
required to chisel in solid stone, and we found it decidedly 
not to our liking. Still, someone wanted the trenches to 
blow up, and so they were finally finished. Then, by way 
of offering us something new to occupy our attention, 
a complete schedule appeared, announcing a succession 
of close-order drills. We entered upon these with all 
the enthusiasm that could have been expected, and felt 
more than relieved when, towards the end of July, 
new arrangements came into effect. 

From that time on we were kept busy, too busy, in 
fact, for comfort. The work consisted of drill in vari- 
ous branches of our service, ranging all the way from 
thorough gas-mask training to practice in projector, 
trench-mortar and even cylinder methods. The com- 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 35 

pany, divided into four platoons, spent most of the 
time on the projectors, with which the first four com- 
panies had made their reputation. Only one platoon 
specialized in Stokes Mortar work, the possibilities of 
which were only at that time being revealed by the 
companies then in action on the rapidly moving front 
between Soissons and Rheims. Up to that time the 
American front had been practically stationary, and it 
was, of course, impossible to predict how long it would 
remain so. At any rate, it is to be regretted that more 
time was not spent on the Stokes, since that was to 
be our weapon par excellence on the line. None of us, 
however, were in any way harmed by the work of the 
strenuous hot days in August during which we dug 
projector batteries into the rocky soil, nor shall we 
forget those evenings when the call for assembly took 
us away from a letter home or interrupted a show in 
the Y. M. C. A. tent. It wouldn't have been so bad, 
we decided, if only it were the real thing. And that was 
really what made the work so irksome. In the States 
we were burning to get to France, in the S. O. S. we 
were even more eager to get to the front. How could 
it be otherwise? The dispatch riders and truck drivers 
came back with the most thrilling stories and most de- 
sirable souvenirs, while the newspapers brought daily 
reports of the wonderful exploits of our countrymen 
at Chateau Thierry. Under such conditions it was un- 
seemly, we felt, to be spending time on the imitation 
thing, or to be strolling on the streets of Chaumont. We 
felt worse than rookies in the presence of the seasoned 
officers who were our instructors, and were more than 
anxious to see real action. 

Meanwhile living conditions were almost better than 
could have been expected under the circumstances. We 
had guard duty frequently enough to keep us interested, 
and since the weather was hot throughout August, an 



36 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

occasional swim in the Marne Canal or a pass to 
Chaumont was quite acceptable. In what few spare 
moments were left the more assiduous and conscientious 
wrote letters or inflicted their few words of broken 
French on the innocent inhabitants. Many of the boys 
showed themselves very adept in acquiring the "lingo" 
and before long they were able to say "oui," "bonjour," 
"beaucoup," "pas bon," "comment ga va?" "fini," "parti," 
"toute de suite," "vin rouge," "cognac," etc., though it 
must be admitted that these words and phrases were 
rarely pronounced either as they are spelled or as the 
rules of French Phonetics specify. They served their 
purpose, however, and caused great satisfaction and 
gratification to those who mastered them. 

It was about the last week in August when the 
prospects of going to the front finally improved. The 
sergeants had been receiving interesting talks on such 
subject as billeting men and constructing gas-proof cur- 
tains on dugouts, and though in action they never had 
an opportunity to make use of the information imparted, 
the lectures at least served to raise our hopes of an 
early departure. Then, one bright, hot morning we were 
ordered to pack up and move. Everyone was excited 
and things went helter-skelter until we were finally 
lined up, equipped with heavy packs, gas-masks and 
steel helmets, in short, with enough paraphernalia to 
take us clear to Berlin. Proudlly we marched away, 
midst cheers and "bonne chance" of the inhabitants. 
Everything was "jake" till we reached the incinerator 
on the outskirts of the town. There we were led across 
a few open fields, and soon found ourselves once more 
in front of our billets in La Ville aux Bois. The practice 
departure had been a huge success ! 

We were not obliged to wait long, however, for the 
real departure. After a review of the battalion by 
Brigadier General Fries, held at the experimental field. 




< G 

5 s 



u 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 37 

the last preparations were completed, and in the small 
hours of the morning of August 29th we left our training 
camp to entrain in Chaumont. As is usual on such 
occasions it took quite a while to arrange the details of 
transportation. At last, however, we were packed, not 
into passenger coaches this time, but into the famous 
French box-cars with the significant inscription "40 
Hommes, 8 Chevaux." No one has ever decided whether 
this meant that the car was to accommodate forty men 
or eight horses, or forty men and eight horses. Suffice 
it to say that, with thirty-five men in a car, we were 
gasping for air like fishes out of water. But what did 
it matter, weren't we going to the front? 

It was not quite a hundred kilometers from Chaumont 
to the town of Lagney, which was to be our destination, 
but what with the innumerable long stops, the inefficient 
switch system and the indirect route I think it is any- 
thing but surprising that it took us until night to make 
the trip. Our route took us through Neufchateau and 
Vaucouleurs. It was just north of this latter place 
that, while side-tracked at Pagny, we saw our first air 
battle, and I think as we watched the shrapnel burst 
high in the air, soft and white, like bits of cotton batting, 
many of us realized that the actual front would prove 
quite different from what even the most detailed descrip- 
tions had been leading us to suppose. 

As we left the train at Lagney Woods it was pitch 
dark, — inky dark — as it seems nights can be only at 
the front. We were taken to some old French barracks 
in the woods, and it was not long before we had made 
the acquaintance of the French double bunks, mere 
wooden frames strung with wire. Before morning we 
had all decided that while they might be good for some- 
thing, they were certainly "pas bon" for sleeping. Every 
time that one man moved, the entire tier would feel the 
far-reaching effects, and besides, do you remember the 



38 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

checker-board it left on your back? Or were you the 
last on to get your bed-sack filled when that straw 
finally arrived? 

But these were minor details. The camp was really 
a beautiful place. Our chief objection lay in the fact that 
while it was technically in the Zone of Action it really 
was only half way between the S. O. S. and the real 
thing. What was the use of digging reserve trenches 
when none of us believed for a minute that Fritz could 
ever drive us back to where it would become necessary 
to make use of them? From Lagney we could often see 
the anti-aircraft guns puttering at some bold fish-tail, 
and at night, after learning to appreciate the significance 
of the phrase "Get those damned lights out !" we some- 
times heard an enemy plane above us. Bombing, like 
shell-fire, has always seemed a bit unfair to me. Some- 
how it makes one feel so helpless, there is no chance of 
reprisal for the individual man. The advantage is all 
with the shell, and you have no "come back." 

Meanwhile the officers and some of the more for- 
tunate "non-coms" were going "up to the line" almost 
every night, and, returning in the morning, they brought 
stories of shell-fire and "close shaves" that made our 
hearts beat faster, thus incapacitating us somewhat for 
the very interesting and thrilling British Stokes Mortar 
Drill as taught by Captain McNamee of the Royal 
Engineers, who was acting as an instructor. Later on a 
detail was sent forward to establish a dump, and we all 
envied them their oportunity. Still a little while and 
the entire second platoon left for parts unknown. We 
realized then that the big push, which was being ru- 
mored around, would take place soon if it was to take 
place at all. Down by the railroad one could see long 
lines of cars with batteries of artillery passing and each 
morning the road running north was lined here and 
there with overturned trucks or broken telegraph poles. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 39 

evidences of the tremendous truck trains that passed 
each night. Before long we, too, began to pack up, 
conscientiously rolling a regulation pack and anxiously- 
filling our belts with all the ammunition we could lay 
hands on. We turned in on the night of September 8th, 
happy in the anticipation that the following day was 
"der Tag." 



CHAPTER III. 

THE FIGHT IN THE ST. MIHIEL SALIENT 

When we awoke on the morning of September 9th 
and found that it was dreary and drizzHng we knew for 
certain that that was our last day at Lagney. We spent 
the dayhght hours in cleaning up and in trying to burn 
a large heap of wet straw without causing any smoke. 
When it grew dark we lined up and finally got under way 
on our forced march. As I think back on that awful 
night, I find myself quite at a loss for words to describe 
it. Our destination was the town of Limey, some 20 
kilometers away. By the road we followed, through 
Menil-la-Tour, Royaumeix, Manonville and St. Jean, 
it was considerably longer, however. And it seemed 
still longer to us as we trudged on through the rain and 
the unspeakable mud, slipping and stumbling on a strange 
road in the inky blackness of the night. We had not gone 
more than a third of the way when we came up with one 
of those endless artillery trains that serve more than 
anything else to clog up the roads and delay traffic. With 
their weary horses and pack wagons the numerous bat- 
teries pretty nearly monopolized the narrow passage so 
that we were compelled to tramp most of those weary 
miles on the edge of the ditch. When finally we did lose 
the train we were so weary that, no matter how brief 
the stop, most of us would sink down in the mud and 
doze off. 



42 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Day had already dawned when we drew near our goal. 
Beyond St. Jean the company had separated, one section 
going with Lieut. Paine to a position in the vicinity of the 
Pont de Metz, the other continuing towards Limey. The 
end of the journey was almost entirely uphill, and we 
practically stumbled into the town when finally we did 
reach it. For most of us it was the first time we had 
seen a ruined village, and Limey was certainly ruined. 
For four years it had been under shell-fire, and only since 
August had it been in the hands of the Allies. Many of 
the ruins were already overgrown with grass and shrub- 
bery. Others were quite recent. None of the buildings 
were untouched. Most of them were nothing but frag- 
ments of bleak walls. The church was still standing, 
though it, too, was badly battered. Altogether it was a 
scene of desolation if ever there was one. 

But most of us had no eyes for such things when we 
first arrived. All we remember is that it was very still 
and that the day was one of those colorless, lifeless ones, 
— quite appropriate for the surroundings. We crept into 
an old cellar that had been fitted up with wire bunks, 
and slept, slept, slept, in spite of our drenched clothing 
and the rotten air of the surroundings. Unfortunately 
our dugout was in a direct line of fire between the enemy 
and the church and we discovered that night and during 
the succeeding days that it was no easy matter to unload 
rations or packs without attracting attention and drawing 
the fire of the enemy. Any number of the boys can tell 
of those first experiences when shells struck in dangerous 
proximity. On the whole, those first few days on the 
line were far from pleasant — anything but encouraging. 
The cold, damp dugout, the meals of bully beef and beans, 
the slimy mud and the unceasing rain not only made it 
disagreeable living, but made it particularly hard to do 
work properly. 

On the afternoon of the 10th I accompanied Lieut. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 43 

Robinson on a trip through the trenches in search of a 
position. It was in that same vicinity that Lieut. 
Richardson had been struck in the face by a shell frag- 
ment a few days before. Although the wound at first 
had not appeared serious, complications set in and kept 
him in the hospital until about October 20. There was no 
one in the company who did not feel keenly the loss of 
his leadership and friendship. 

The trenches were a hopeless labyrinth, full of mud 
and water, and, as I found to my surprise, practically 
empty. The 90th Division was holding the line at that 
time and had, during the few weeks preceding, made 
an excellent record in turning back raids and taking 
prisoners. We spent several hours splashing our way 
about, so that it was quite dark when we got back. The 
Boche kept up a desultory artillery fire which we soon 
learned to ignore. Only it seemed too bad that our guns 
never replied. We could easily see them, — countless 
batteries of them — apparently in position and yet silent 
as a group of sphinxes. 

The attack was to take place on the night of the 11th 
to the 12th. It was still raining and no one was enthusi- 
astic about going out. We started about 8:00 P. M., the 
gun teams going ahead with the Stokes. It had been 
planned to put in at least one battery of projectors, too, 
but this arrangement was not carried out, because the 
zero hour had been made earlier than was expected. 
How we should ever have succeeded in carrying heavy 
projectors through those narrow, muddy trenches I do 
not know. As it was we set out with rifles and belts, 
gas masks, light packs and no less than four bombs 
apiece, a weight of about 105 pounds. 

The night was terribly dark and the trenches in the 
worst possible condition. It would be useless for me to 
attempt a description of the hours of that night, as we 
trudged and crawled through that mud and water. 



44 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

There was not much activity in the trenches, certainly 
not enough to give reason to suppose that a large scale 
attack was about to start. The enemy, to be sure, kept 
up his Verey lights and fired at intervals. Still, most of 
us were quite startled and surprised when, about 1 :30 
in the morning, the sky lit up behind us and the 
American barrage began. It was a terrific concentra- 
tion of artillery and sounded fine — we had been waiting 
for it so eagerly. Soon it reached the intensity of drum 
fire and the German retaliatory fire gradually diminished 
till it finally ceased. We continued our journey under 
the swishing and whine of flying shells and the thunder 
of an unbroken series of detonations. It is difficult 
to express in words the sound of a heavy barrage, but 
it has always for me had an analogy to what one hears 
beneath a wooden bridge when a heavy vehicle passes 
overhead. The low grumbling of the echoes, punctuated 
by the loud reports of new shots and the sudden flashes 
that set off the landscape in a wierd light, all this makes 
a unique impression on the human mind. 

After depositing our loads at the position we started 
back for another, though few of us had any faith in 
our ability to survive another trip. And going back 
was quite a different proposition than going, for, as if 
by magic, the trenches had filled with men, most of 
them Marines (5th Regiment) and troops of the 9th 
Infantry (2nd Division) who were to go over the top 
with the first wave. Those rows of cold, shivering men, 
equipped with grenades and with bayonets fixed, crouch- 
ing in the mud of the trenches and waiting for the crucial 
moment, is another sight we shall never forget. It was 
hard to have to crawl over them, but we had to do it. 
Only after considerable trouble did we finally regain our 
dugouts in the town. It was then near four o'clock, — the 
zero hour for our guns was five, and for the doughboys 
5 :30. We were just about to start back for the trenches 



f 


^i 






y 






11 


"'«ti^^ 


-. <#^ 


i 


-a 




IHW^ij 


1 




■1 


-a 

•4 


iir ' .V' 







WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 45 

when the Boche suddenly opened up with a concentrated 
bombardment of the town. Everywhere the shells were 
bursting. For a moment we were undecided, but then 
we set out on a run, for we soon realized that duty 
called no matter what the circumstances. We reached 
the trenches without mishap. The first wave was just 
about to go over, and our machine guns had just opened 
a rolling barrage to precede it. For green men it was a 
novel experience — this stuttering breathless chatter of 
the machine guns just behind one. The trenches were 
in places so congested that to get through would have 
been impossible had we not struck on a rather clever 
idea. "Heads up, men, high explosives, watch these 
sacks" ;— shouting words to that effect worked like magic 
and we secured an easy passage. But we lost our way ; 
Lieut. Robinson had stayed at the position and in the 
confusion we went wrong. The infantry went over and 
we watched the lines follow each other through the 
fields of barbed wire, over the German trenches and 
into the woods where the enemy had his artillery. 
Having seen some of our thermite bursting just before 
dawn we realized that our second load would be too late 
anyway, so after trying to find the right trench by going 
over the top we gave up and waited for developments. 

We were so tired that it was quite agreeable to us 
to rest out there, with the aeroplanes swooping low 
over the advancing infantry and the hammering of the 
machine guns. Wounded men were already coming 
back, but so were the prisoners — not single or in small 
groups, but in droves or herds, as you like. Most of 
them were young and hale in appearance, though there 
were a few older, war-worn men among them too. I 
spoke to several of them and invariably they said they 
were glad to have been captured. One even stated that 
he was glad that the attack had been made, for he 
believed it would bring the end nearer. Such being the 



46 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

spirit, it was not hard to understand why large numbers 
of the captives were entrusted to two doughboys who, 
with rifles slung, would march, one at the head, the 
other at the tail of the column, with an expression of 
endless self-satisfaction on their faces. 

Meanwhile the boys on the gun-teams were working 
hard. They had carried the heavy guns out to the 
position and now had to set them up and prepare the 
ammunition all in the pitchy darkness, the rain and the 
mud. Two guns went into position with a farmhouse 
for the target. It was our purpose to screen the infantry 
as it advanced on the target in order to attack the machine 
guns located there. Another two guns were installed some 
three-quarters of a kilometer beyond, their purpose being 
to throw a smoke screen before the infantry as it advanced 
on Remenanville, a small hamlet just within the German 
lines, which was totally destroyed. Our last two guns 
were still further away from Limey. They were to 
throw a flanking screen on the advancing troops. At 
zero hour, 5 :00 A. M., our Stokes went into action, the 
six together firing 100 rounds of smoke. The men at the 
guns deserve great credit indeed for the splendid work 
they did that night, when, under the most unfavorable 
conditions, they not only carried their guns out and set 
them up, but also prepared a large amount of ammuni- 
tion which was hopelessly muddy and dirty. The in- 
fantry advanced much more rapidly than had been 
anticipated, so that it became inadvisable to shoot more 
bombs. Nevertheless, with what we did shoot an excel- 
lent screen was maintained in front of the 2nd and part 
of the 5th Divisions. As soon as possible the guns 
were dismantled and four, with 80 rounds each of smoke 
and thermite started out to follow the infantry. On the 
way Lieut. Robinson came upon the carrying party which 
then joined the gun teams in getting the material up to 
Remenauville. The infantry was so far ahead that it 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 47 

was obviously useless to attempt to catch up with it 
that day. Consequently we left our supplies under guard 
and returned to Limey for some sleep — sleep made 
doubly sweet by the consciousness of work well done. 
The following- morning we set out for Thiaucourt, which 
the infantry had reached the previous day. The streets 
of Limey and the one road leading in our direction 
were crowded with prisoners and our own men, — to say 
nothing of the endless lines of artillery, trucks and 
wagons that follow an advance. The train had stopped, 
but the mud was frightful, making the roads almost 
impassable at places. We enjoyed our trip more or less, 
however, for the sight of the battlefield, covered with 
barbed wire, torn by shell fire and strewn with discarded 
equipments of all kinds, was a novel sight for most of 
us. Moreover, there was an opportunity at last to get 
souvenirs ! 

The first section was less fortunate in its operations. 
While the second section had gone to Limey, the first, 
comprising about one-half the company and the com- 
pany headquarters had taken up French dugouts in a 
ravine north of the St. Dizier-Metz road near Fond des 
Quatre Vaux, and about 1 kilometer behind our front 
line. It was the purpose of Lieut. Paine to lay down 
a smoke screen in front of our infantry as it advanced 
on and beyond the town of Regnieville. With this end 
in view four guns were installed in our front line 
trenches, and ammunition was taken up. Besides smoke 
bombs there was an ample supply of thermite which was 
to be used against the enemy's machine guns in case 
the wind proved unfavorable for smoke operations. 
Everything was ready when, one hour before zero, or- 
ders were received from infantry headquarters stating 
that the plan of the tank attack had been changed and 
that they would be within our line of fire. Consequently 
it had become necessary for us to change our position. 



48 WITH "E" OP THE FIRST GAS 

Every effort was made to install our guns in the new 
location, but with the very limited time at our disposal it 
is not remarkable that we did not succeed in completing 
our work in time. So the first section at the very outset 
had the discouraging experience of doing a great amount 
of hard work without having the satisfaction of getting 
results. Modern warfare is indeed at least 90 per cent, 
hard labor. 

After this unfortunate beginning the section was 
assembled, and, with two guns and 30 rounds each of 
smoke and thermite, proceeded to Thiaucourt, where it 
joined the second section, which had reached the town 
on the previous day. 

Thiaucourt is a fairly large town that had been in 
the enemy's hands for four years. What ruins there were 
had been caused, I was told, not by the American bar- 
rage but by our bombardment of the place during the 
Seicheprey engagement in July. The Germans had 
planned the deportation of the civilians, but the attack, 
of which they had apparently got wind, came so quickly 
that their arrangements proved impracticable. Conse- 
quently they were still quite numerous when we arrived. 
The Germans, they said, had taken to their heels at the 
approach of the Yankees, and their terrific cries, 
"Die Amerikaner kommen !" had echoed and re-echoed 
through the streets. Certainly the great amount of 
equipment and stores was ample proof of their hurried 
departure. 

We secured good lodging in vaulted cellars, and after 
the kitchen had been set up we were well taken care of, 
though the enemy occasionally gave cause for excitement 
by his sporadic shell-fire. The civilians treated us 
"royally" and we have them to thank not only for many 
a bit of tasty food, but for many interesting stories and 
anecdotes as well. Reconnaissances were made daily 
while we were at Thiaucourt, but no suitable targets 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 49 

were located. As it happened the advance came to a 
standstill some kilometers above Thiaucourt and so it 
vk^as impossible for us to continue as had been arranged. 

On Sunday, September 15, therefore, we started back, 
marching with heavy packs. The road was very hilly, 
and after some 10 kilometers of up-hill and down we 
were quite ready to stop for the night in the camp previ- 
ously occupied by Section 1. Early the following morn- 
ing — a wonderful autumn day — we started out again, 
this time without packs. Our destination was Lagney 
Woods, a good, long hike, even though conditions were 
better than on our way up. Many of the men were 
exhausted from the strenuous work of the preceding 
week, and so our arrival on the old camp found most 
of us on our last legs. We did not know how long we 
were to stay and so were glad, after a good night's 
rest, to take advantage of the opportunity, to bathe and 
obtain a change of clothing at Menil-la-Tour. We had 
found by experience that on the line nothing belongs to 
anybody — it is common property in a way. A striking 
example of this was the occasion on which we returned 
to our dugout in Limey to find not only strange men 
sleeping on our bunks, but to discover that most of our 
belongings were gone. Consequently most of us were 
quite destitute when we reached our base at Lagney. 

We had to walk the 5 kilometers to Menil-la-Tour 
and back. That would not have been so bad, had we 
not been routed up out of our sleep at 4:00 A. M. the 
following morning to take another long hike in heavy 
marching order. This time our way took us to Rosieres- 
en-Haye, a town some 16 miles distant in a northeasterly 
direction. There, tired and worn out, we were met by 
a convoy of French trucks which were to take us to our 
next destination, the town of Les Islettes in the heart 
of the Argonne, about half-way between Clermont and 
Ste. Menehould on the Verdun to Paris highway. 



50 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Measured on the map the distance to be covered is 
about 85 kilometers. By the road we took, through 
Toul, Void, Bar-le-Duc and Clermont it is probably 
nearer 125. At any rate, it took us three days to com- 
plete the trip, what with the quality of the French trucks 
and the lack of ambition among their drivers. Those 
of us who did not spend most of the time trying to sleep 
saw some interesting sights, pre-eminent among them 
the sombre and forbidding old fortress of Toul. These 
were, however, very inadequate recompense for the dis- 
comforts of the journey, and it was with a sigh of relief 
that we got off at our new base. 



THE /JI?GONNE F0RE5T 




The Argonne Forest 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE STRUGGLE IN THE ARGONNE 

We found Les Islettes ("Lizzie's Slats," the boys 
called it) a fairly large place quite full of troops. We 
had an idea that we would stay there for some time and 
so set to work energetically in making our rather poor 
billets comfortable. The second platoon, which had left 
Lagney several days before we went to Limey, rejoined 
us. It was a happy reunion, and "swapping stories" 
was the amusement of the hour. We learned that the 
platoon had been attached to Company D, which had 
operated from the vicinity of Rambluzin, northwest of 
St. Mihiel. The boys had there received some instruc- 
tion in Stokes Mortar work, and, assimilated with the 
various sections of the sister company, had made an 
excellent showing during the operation, the end of which 
found them at St. Maurice. From what they told us 
they had had a very interesting time, for St. Maurice 
was a sort of resort and had been left well stored with 
good things. The only event to mar the adventure was 
the wounding of Dan Smith, who was struck in the 
forehead by a shell fragment. The wound did not 
prove very serious, so that he was with us again before 
we had gone far on the following push. 

Contrary to our expectations, our stay at Les Islettes 
was to prove a short one. After enjoying the scenery 
and the supplies of the French commissary to the best 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 53 

of our ability and the condition of our purses, we set 
out, once again in the rain, on the evening of the third 
day, Sunday, the 22nd of September, and marched uphill 
for some twelve kilometers to a French station, a series 
of dugouts built into the side of a steep hill called "Le 
Mont des Sept Fontaines." The second platoon, under 
Lieut. Burr, had been detailed to operate with "C" Com- 
pany, and left soon after our arrival at the new position. 
The Third Platoon, forming the Second Section, had 
taken positions on our left, near Le Four de Paris, from 
which location they were to cover the line running 
through the western half of the forest, while the first 
section, comprising the First and Fourth Platoons under 
Lieutenants Paine and Fleming, was to operate in the 
eastern half. This was a convenient arrangement, for 
it coincided with the plans of the larger units. Thus 
the first section operated behind the 28th Division (and 
later the 82nd) west to a north and south line running 
through La Chalade, while the second section was to 
support the 77th Division (later the 78th) in that por- 
tion of the forest lying west of said line. 

At this point it may not be inappropriate to say a 
few words about the Argonne front by the way of 
introduction to the most extensive of the American 
operations in France. The forest itself is a stretch of 
wild country some seventy kilometers long and about 
fifteen wide, consisting of thickly wooded steep hills and 
deep ravines or gullies, the whole being wonderfully 
adapted to ambuscades and machine-gun work. In 
September, 1914, the Germans, meeting with practically 
no resistance, had swept through the entire forest clear 
down to the outskirts of Bar-le-Duc. On account of the 
unexpectedly strong resistance at Verdun and because 
of the fateful battle of the Marne, it became necessary, 
however, for them to withdraw again. Their retreat 
stopped in the northern part of the forest, just south 



54 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

of Apremont. Later in the fall of 1914 they began their 
advance once more, but instead of sweeping through 
they met the most stubborn kind of resistance from 
the French artillery and machine guns that had in the 
meantime invested the underbrush and thickets. By 
dint of hard fighting the enemy advanced very slowly 
until, after terrific losses, the line had been halted on 
the strong line. Hill 263 — La Harazee. There, on that 
line (the so-called "Fille Morte" or "Dead Girl" line) 
the opponents had been locked in a death grapple for 
just about four years. So intense and continuous was 
the fighting here that this line was mentioned on an 
average in thirteen of the daily communiques each 
month. Under these conditions it will not be hard to 
understand that here the most desperate fighting and 
the most diabolical methods had been the usual thing, 
and that we were to start on a line of well constructed 
and complete defenses. 

For convenience of treatment and because of the 
complexity of operations, I shall take up the work of 
the company by sections. The first section spent the 
three days in intervening between its arrival and the 
opening of the attack in cleaning ammunition. At night 
this ammunition, as well as the guns, would be carried 
over the hill to the position, which was in a gap at the 
foot of the famous Hill 263, our target. The attack 
was to be a surprise and the line was to be held by the 
French until the zero hour, so it was essential that 
our operations should be quietly carried on. I remember 
that it was no easy matter, but there in the moonlight, 
to follow a French guide through the trenches, when 
every twig brushing against a helmet and the noise of 
every misplaced step sounded so loud that one would 
think it was heard in Berlin. The French were holding 
the line by a series of outposts, beyond which was 
our emplacement. On one occasion at least the enemy 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 55 

discovered our presence and followed us back with 
artillery fire, the detonations of the bursting shells re- 
verberating and re-echoing through the stillness of the 
night. 

The initial operation was to be a big one; six Stokes 
mortars were installed. The target was Hill 263, which 
it was planned to take by a flanking movement. To 
make this possible we were to shoot phosgene and ther- 
mite to weaken the resistance of the enemy and "skunk 
gas" to make him wear his mask and interfere with his 
work. Most important, however, was to be the smoke 
cloud which we planned to lay down on the hill. Shel- 
tered by this the infantry was to make its flank attack. 
The zero hour was 5 :30, September 26th, and at that 
time our guns began firing. The artillery had already 
been laying down a barrage for some hours. Every- 
thing proceeded according to schedule, excepting that, 
by order from the First Corps Headquarters, no gas 
was fired. The Infantry advanced and took the famous 
old position without much difficulty. 

On the afternoon of September 26th I was fortunate 
enough to get an opportunity to visit the old line. For 
a wide belt through the forest the land was desolate. 
Trees, as well as the underbrush, had been shot away or 
left in a charred condition. The entire area was covered 
with fields of barbed wire and cut in all directions with 
great trench systems or dugouts. But most striking 
was the effect of the shell-fire and mine explosions, 
which left the whole landscape torn and scarred. Some 
of the mine craters were at least one hundred feet in 
diameter and forty feet deep, enormous wounds where 
the very bowels of the earth had been torn out. At a 
loss to adequately describe the scene, a German writer, 
in a volume published earlier in the war, asks his readers 
to imagine the ocean at its roughest and then imagine 



56 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

it instantly changed into clay. Such is the "Fille Morte" 
line. 

On the evening of September 27th we followed the 
infantry, travelling over the wretched roads with light 
packs and carrying two bombs apiece. It was very dark 
and quite late when we reached Varennes, the famous 
town in which, some century and a quarter ago, Louis 
XVI and his family were stopped and turned back as 
they were attempting to flee the country during the 
great revolution. There were very few troops in the place 
when we arrived, and consequently we had our choice 
of the dugouts. We chose those around the German 
Headquarters and officers' apartments. The walk had 
been a long one and we were tired, so tired that we 
hardly minded carrying the bloody forms of four dead 
Boche out and then sleeping in the damp bunks where 
we had found them. Some of the men were called out 
again before daylight and proceeded to Montblainville 
in the expectation of shooting again, A show proved 
impracticable, however, and the men returned later, 
having lost Sergeant Tuttle, who was wounded in the 
lower leg by a bit of shrapnel and had gone to the 
hospital. He never returned to the company. 

The section kept its dugouts in Varennes until Sep- 
tember 30th, during which time the enemy shelled 
sporadically and rather unsuccessfully. All along at 
least one platoon was attempting to operate behind the 
infantry, between Montblainville and Apremont. The 
former town proved especially disastrous for us, because 
of the frequent shell fire. Besides Sergeant Tuttle, 
Privates Noel and Pruette were wounded there, to say 
nothing of cases in which men very narrowly escaped 
injury. It was in this town, too, that a shell killed 
seven and wounded fifteen men who were standing in a 
line outside the Y. M. C. A. 

On Sunday, September 29th, the platoon that was 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 57 

forward with Lieut. Fleming, succeeded in staging the 
first of several shoots directed against large nests of 
machine guns that were holding the thickly wooded 
summit of "La Chene Tondu," an eminence west of 
Apremont, called "Mudra Hohe" by the Germans. We 
had to carry the ammunition all the way from Montblain- 
ville, a distance of some two and a half miles and no 
easy matter, considering that the enemy was shelling 
the road almost incessantly. Our first shoot was from 
a position half way up the hill, and that afternoon 
we shot ten rounds of smoke and six of thermite. We 
went back and brought up more ammunition, but ar- 
rived too late to make use of it that day. It was im- 
possible to determine the effect of the fire, since the 
density of the vegetation made observation impossible. 
Snipers were quite active in that vicinity, so we took 
our guns to the foot of the hill and returned to Mont- 
blainville for the night. 

The machine guns on the heights proved much more 
formidable than had been supposed they would be, and 
the 111th Infantry was unable to take the position. 
Consequently we went up again on Tuesday, October 
1st, taking two guns and abundant ammunition. The 
near edge of the plateau was held by our troops and it 
was from there we were planning to shoot. We had a 
terrible time carrying the heavy guns and ammunition 
up the precipitous ascent, for it was inky dark. We 
finally reached our destination, however, and slept a 
few hours behind a low stucco building which was being 
used as an advanced P. C. The infantry outposts were 
just beyond, as were also some of our machine guns 
that were trying to silence the enemy. On the following 
morning we set up our guns and fired, at 10:00 A. M., 
sixty-eight rounds of thermite and twenty-two of smoke. 
The operation was not so successful as it might have 
been, owing to some mistake in the information given 



I 

.1 



i* « SI 



* 1"^ 



I 



iPi: 






A 



.•»«(#■■ 



T'^-j"^ 






''«^ 



Vl\ i*'"'" 



^i<r 



?1 



s :;. 



•V J 



• ^ 



4 



« 



« o „ 



i*, i-^'^ 



u 



s^ 



|*W 



s^" 



JJ 



4<: 



J-VW-^^ 



.<s? i 



imr 



V' 







yWHui 



•. • •• 



A 






:/: 






/J 



j(hiii\A/" 











!f 




^'t ' 


.■^ 


< 


^*J%: 




hJ 


* * 0*^ 






voJoO « 


^:-" 




'ii >> 


• 4 





A, 



X 



«_ 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 59 

us by the infantry. A slight advance by our troops 
took place, however. 

We immediately prepared to shoot again and carried 
more bombs up the hill. Before long we had three guns 
set up out beyond the P. C. and in a rather exposed 
position. There was abundant ammunition also. But as 
is usually the case, when you're ready, the others aren't. 
A zero hour was fixed and then changed again and 
again, until we finally despaired of shooting at all. More- 
over the hill-top was a rather warm place to stay in, 
for snipers by day and machine-gun duels by night 
kept us on our toes both day and night. At last, on 
October 5th, at 12:15 P. M., we started our bombard- 
ment. It was a perfect operation, the smoke and 
thermite acting exactly as was desired. The three guns 
together fired ninety rounds of smoke and seventy-seven 
of thermite, at least a third of the total under direct 
machine-gun fire. Only the gun teams had stayed on 
the top of the hill during the firing, the rest waiting at 
the foot. We had the satisfaction of knowing that the 
infantry went through for a gain. 

The four days and nights on "La Chene Tondu" 
had been racking. We had been sleeping in the open 
and living on iron rations, while all the time the enemy's 
fire had been wearing us down. On one occasion a shell 
burst so close to a party of our men that no less than 
six were wounded. Corporal Murray, Privates Wachter 
and Taylor seriously and Engineer Palacki and Private 
Rowlands slightly. The remainder of us were sorely 
in need of rest, and so it was particularly fortunate for 
us that the infantry soon made a rapid advance. We 
had returned to Montblainville where we lived rather 
wretchedly in some German shacks. Several batteries 
of heavy guns just behind us kept us awake at night, 
while in the daytime there was little to do but wade 



60 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

around in the slime and mud. Montblainville was a 
distinctly disagreeable place in which to stay. 

Our next "home" was decidedly better. On October 
10th we marched up the further side of "La Chene 
Tondu" to an extensive German camp called "Boriswald 
Lager." It was a pleanant spot, with good shacks and 
excellent dugouts. Moreover, there was a well built 
spring, so that we had all that could be desired. The 
second section of the company joined us there and for 
a day or two we had a real reunion. Then, on October 
11th, the first section, which had been operating with 
the 28th Division, was ordered back to Varennes, to 
which town the Division had been withdrawn after 
being relieved by the 82nd. 

Meanwhile this new division had established a line 
running east and west just north of St. Juvin and Som- 
merance. The section was attached and on October 13th 
arrived in the vicinity of Fleville, where it was repeatedly 
under heavy shell fire. Reconnaissances were continu- 
ally made, but in accordance with Brigade orders, no 
operation was to take place until the line had advanced 
far enough to bring Imecourt within range of our guns. 
It was while waiting for the infantry to make this ad- 
vance that Lieut. Fleming was struck by a shell frag- 
ment during a reconnaissance. The wound was in the 
right side and consisted of a torn lung and other internal 
injuries. He died the following day in a nearby hospital. 
The loss of one of our most able and popular leaders was 
a severe blow to the entire company, particularly to those 
who had known him intimately. 

Lieut. Le Veque took command of the section after 
Lieut. Fleming's death and under his direction an opera- 
tion was prepared. The location was a particularly 
dangerous one, so that many had forebodings of disaster 
as the ammunition was carried up the shell-swept hills 
north of Sommerance. But the show was destined never 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 61 

to take place. At the eleventh hour orders came in re- 
calling the entire company, and it was on October 18th 
that, after a long truck ride, the sections rejoined the 
rest of the company in the town of La Grange aux Bois, 
just east of Ste-Menehould, where we were to go into 
rest billets. 

While the first section was carrying out the opera- 
tions described above, the second section, under Lieu- 
tenants Robinson and Thompson were following the 
infantry in the western half of the forest. This section 
had left Les Islettes at 8:00 P. M. on September 23rd 
and taken up a position in the 77th Division sector 
just north of Four de Paris. There it was rejoined 
on the 25th by the second platoon, which under Lieut. 
Burr, had left Les Islettes at 7 :00 A. M. of the 24th and 
had installed fifty projectors with T. N. T. in "C" 
Company's position on the 35th Division sector, east 
of the forest. These projectors were later shot by "C" 
Company and proved very effective. During the little 
expedition, which involved very hard and rapid work 
for the men who took part, Pivate "Happy" Powers was 
wounded by a bit of shrapnel which struck him near the 
left temple. Though the wound seemed slight, its effects 
proved quite serious, and it was some time before our 
comrade was back with us. 

The initial operation of the second section was di- 
vided into two parts as follows : Under Lieut. Robinson 
two mortars were installed near the Four de Paris, 
which, by the way, was heavily bombarded on September 
25th, giving rise to the supposition that the enemy sus- 
pected offensive preparations on our part. At zero hour 
(5 :30 A. M. on September 26th) both the mortars to- 
gether fired sixty rounds of smoke and fifty of thermite 
with a local salient as the target. The bombs were 
sent over in the form of a rolling barrage, the range 
being raised 100 yards at 5:40, an additional 150 yards 



62 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

at 5 :45, and then another 150 yards at 5 :50. The pur- 
pose of the operation had been to screen the infantry 
by a smoke curtain and to drive away enemy machine 
gunners. Akhough the resistance offered at this point 
was quite determined, the salient was successfully taken. 

Meanwhile Lieut. Thompson had installed one mortar 
at a position in front of our outpost line, with the 
salient in front of the Tranchee de la Baltique as the 
target. At the zero hour (5:30 A. M. on Sept. 26th) 
this gun fired 20 rounds of thermite. The attacking 
infantry (307th and 308th Regiments) encountered but 
slight resistance, and it seems reasonable to assume 
that the enemy had retreated from the salient during 
the artillery barrage that preceded the attack. After 
the operation the whole section was assembled and on 
the 27th moved forward, with a mule team carrying 
two guns and ammunition, to the support of the 308th 
Infantry, which had advanced to the Tranchee Tirpitz. 

At this time the 1st Battalion of the 306th Infantry 
was planning an attack on a series of machine-gun nests 
and dugouts near the St. Hubert Pavilion. The section 
was called on to assist in the action, in conjunction with 
the three-inch Stokes of the infantry and the supporting 
artillery. With two guns thirty rounds of thermite 
were shot between 5:00 and 5:15 P. M., while at the 
same time, with thirty rounds of smoke, a sort of rolling 
smoke screen was laid down. The infantry, however, 
failed to attack. Consequently the shoot was of no 
value, excepting insofar as it harassed the enemy. On 
the following day, at 10:00 A. M., the two guns again 
shot at the St. Hubert Pavilion, using thirty-seven 
rounds of thermite. With this protection on the flank, 
the infantry attacked east of the pavilion and took its 
objective, meeting with no opposition from the point 
at which our fire had been directed. 

It was on the following day that our smallest opera- 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 63 

tion was carried out. Its purpose was to silence a machine 
gun in the Bois de la Grurie, which was annoying the 
leading battalion of the 307th Infantry. At 4:15 P. M. 
the team under Lieut. Robinson fired five rounds of 
thermite. Two direct hits were obtained and no further 
fire observed from that locality. 

Following this shoot, on the 30th, Lieut. Robinson 
made a reconnaissance, but did not succeed in locating 
a target. The section, however, with six guns, moved 
forward to La Haute Chevanchee, where Captain Day- 
ton and Lieut. Thompson reconnoitered the 306th In- 
fantry sector, again without success in finding a target. 
Later on, however, under orders from the 307th Infantry, 
Lieut. Robinson installed two guns and at 4:15 P. M. 
fired thirty-five rounds of thermite at the dugouts on a 
hill directly north of Depot des Machines (Machinery 
Park), the purpose being to assist a wide flanking attack 
by the infantry. This target could not be reached by the 
artillery, and it may be worth remarking that while, 
on September 29th and 30th, the infantry's three-inch 
Stokes had not yet come up, our own four-inch guns 
were in action. 

On October 2nd, the section was again called on to 
assist in silencing enemy machine guns that were holding 
up the attack. On this occasion two guns were installed 
in the Bois d'Apremont, and at 4:00 P. M. thirty rounds 
of thermite were fired. The infantry failed to attack, 
much to our chagrin, for the thermite bursts were par- 
ticularly well timed and our work would certainly have 
been of assistance had the projected attack been carried 
out. 

The next action, on October 4th, proved more suc- 
cessful. Called upon by the 305th Infantry to silence 
machine guns in their area, two guns were installed, and 
at 5 :00 P. M. we bombarded the area with fifty-one 
rounds of thermite. After the fifth shot the fire of the 



64 WITH "E" OF T^E FIRST GAS 

enemy ceased, and was not resumed. On the following 
morning, from a new position, two guns again went into 
action, the purpose being to assist the attacking bat- 
talion of the 305th Infantry in a flank assault on some 
strong points. Our men shot ninety-six rounds of 
thermite at 10:30 A. M. and had the satisfaction of 
hearing the enemy's machine gun fire die away after 
the first ten minutes of our bombardment. On this occa- 
sion the Boche tried hard to locate us with his artillery, 
but failed to do so. As for our infantry, it attempted to 
advance but was repulsed. 

Up to this time the operations had all been with 
thermite and smoke, so that a projected gas shoot on 
October 6th offered something in the way of variety. 
During the night two guns were installed and at 1 :00 
A. M. of October 7th we fired fifty rounds of phosgene. 
The wind was favorable (five miles per hour and south- 
southwest) so that our bombs, which at first drew 
machine-gun retaliation, soon silenced all opposition 
from the enemy. It was during the preparation for this 
action that Private Hyett was struck in the foot by a 
bit of shrapnel. He was sent to a hospital and did not 
rejoin the company until the middle of December. 

The following few days proved unfavorable for fur- 
ther operations on our part. The infantry advanced 
rapidly until October 10th. On the 9th two guns were 
ready to shoot on machine guns in order to assist the 
307th Infantry in a flank attack on Hill 198. It was 
found, however, that the enemy had withdrawn and 
that our operation would not be needed. On the 10th the 
section moved to Boriswald Lager, where one part re- 
mained with the first section until sent forward to 
relieve the other part, which had established a dump 
at La Besogne Ferme. From this date until the 17th, 
when we went to La Grange aux Bois for rest, the 
section was inactive. Daily reconnaissances were made, 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 65 

but conditions were not favorable for operations. The 
infantry was stopped in the gap where the Aire crosses 
the forest from St. Juvin to Grandpre. Attacks were 
repeatedly made, but the enemy, commanding the further 
heights, kept up an incessant machine-gun and artillery 
barrage in the gap. Not infrequently the fire reached 
such an intensity that carrying parties going to and 
from the new dump in Marcq or reconnoitering parties 
in the vicinity of Chevieres and Grandpre would find 
themselves in very precarious situations. The weather 
continued rainy and disagreeable, causing deep mud- 
sloughs and making it possible for the enemy to keep 
the gap full of gas. All things combined made the 
men weary and tired, so that it was with anything but 
enthusiasm that we were told of a projected attack that 
was to be staged in the open fields and directed against 
the upper part of Grandpre, which was still in the hands 
of the enemy. We were expecting to go out in the small 
hours of the morning of the 18th, when, at about 9:00 
P. M. of the 17th, the order arrived which took us out 
of the line. It was an alacritous crowd that started early 
the following morning on the return trip, and a happy 
crowd that went to sleep in La Grange aux Bois that 
night, with no shells and no gas to worry about. Just 
before leaving La Besogne we lost Pvt. Patterson, who^ 
in the vicinity of Fleville, on the 15th, was struck by 
a shell fragment and sent to the hospital. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE DRIVE TOWARDS SEDAN 

The nine days' rest at La Grange aux Bois was 
surely needed by the entire Company, which had been 
almost incessantly under fire since the 10th of Sep- 
tember. We found the town a quiet, neat and on the 
whole a very delightful place with good billets, good 
wine, good bread and good cheese. On the second day 
of our arrival we were taken to Raricourt in trucks and 
there had an opportunity to take a bath and get new 
clothes, while our retained belongings were being de- 
loused by a dry steam process. We sha'n't so soon for- 
get what a relief it was to be really clean once more. It 
actually seemed too good to be true. But it was not for 
long that we were to be permitted to strut about the 
streets or keep the chairs warm in the cafes. A 
schedule was very soon published, and before long we 
found ourselves out at bayonet drill. What was even 
worse, however, was the Stokes Mortar drill. Each 
morning we took the guns out for exercise and set them 
up with the meticulous care of the drill regulations, 
after which we affectionately carried them back again. 
Still, time passed quickly and uneventfully, excepting 
for one air raid by moonlight and the adventure of a 
few of our men, who, innocently sightseeing in Ste. 
Menehould, were picked up by an M. P., and later fined 
for being in a forbidden area. The rest period is also 



68 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

memorable for the return to the Company of Lieut. 
Richardson, who had been in the hospital since being 
wounded before the St. Mihiel operation. The appear- 
ance of his familiar face was welcomed by all of us. 

We left La Grange aux Bois quite unexpectedly on 
the morning of Sunday, October 27th, and travelled in 
trucks almost all day till we reached the town of Cor- 
nay, just west of Fleville and in the same locality from 
which the first section had been withdrawn nine days 
previous. We found lodgings in very inferior buildings, 
most of the place being in ruins or being already occu- 
pied by other troops. On inquiry we learned that the 
line had not moved since we had been there last, and 
that the Germans were holding a rather strong defense 
line called the "Freya Stellung." It was obvious from 
the very considerable aircraft activity and the great 
concentration of artillery round about that a concerted 
attack was to be made at an early date. That our part 
in it was to be of quite considerable proportions we 
soon discovered, when, after reconnaissance north of 
Sommerance, forward dumps were established along 
the National Highway from Fleville to St. Juvin. It was 
on one of these reconnaissances that Lieut. Richardson, 
who had just returned from the hospital, was again 
struck by a shell fragment, the wound, curiously enough, 
being in practically the same place as the first one. On 
the same occasion Sergeant Casey was wounded in the 
arm and leg. Lieut. Richardson rejoined the Company 
late in December. 

During the first half of the week following our re- 
turn to the line we spent the nights in carrying guns 
and ammunition to the position. It was planned to dig 
in sixty projectors (40 for C. G. gas and 20 for T. N. T.) 
as well as to operate six Stokes guns, the latter to shoot 
gas as well as thermite and smoke. At this particular 
time the enemy line ran east and west parallel to and 




o 



u — 



fc 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 69 

not very far north of the road from St. Juvin to the 
town of St. Georges. As it approached this last place 
it made a dip southward to include the town. The gun 
positions were all in the vicinity of this bend, perhaps two 
and one-half kilometers east of St. Juvin and one kilo- 
meter west of St. Georges. The projectors, which, like 
all our material, had to be carried several kilometers 
along the road or over the shell-torn open hills, were 
planted in a patch of bushes that ran from the road to 
within two hundred to three hundred yards of the enemy 
lines. The work was fraught with danger and difficulty, 
because of the fact that the enemy suspected an attack 
and kept his Very lights up, at the same time harassing 
our operations with machine guns and artillery fire. We 
were on the outpost line, the first concentrated line of 
infantry being along the road in the vicinity of St. Juvin, 
where the men had dug themselves into the bank along 
the road. As for the Stokes, they were to be operated 
in two batteries of three each, one of the three to be 
located in a reinforced shell crater some fifty yards from 
the road and fifty yards west of the bushes. The other 
battery was also located in a reinforced crater, some 
hundred yards beyond the bushes toward St. Georges 
and perhaps another hundred yards off the road in a 
southerly direction. 

Those were anxious nights, the ones in which we 
covered the road from St. Juvin to the position, carrying 
heavy projectors, mortars or bombs. The awful quiet that 
usually prevailed, the enemy's lights, and the difficulty of 
the work was enough to keep us on our toes at all 
times. It was on these trips that we first made use 
of two small, rubber-tired hand-carts. They saved us 
considerable work, but were very dangerous because of 
the occasional squeaking of the wheels. All told it was 
very likely the hardest work we did on the front, carry- 
ing those large stores of material over kilometers of 



70 iVITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

up-hill into the very face of the enemy, and they were 
weary feet, indeed, that, sometimes at 2 :00 or 3 :00 
A. M., started on the long 10 kilometer hike back to 
Cornay. 

At last the night for the attack came — October 31. 
The Stokes were dug in that same night, and the sandbag 
reinforcements in the shell-holes were completed. We 
went up that night somewhat anxious and uncertain. 
Among other things we had twenty-five new men with us, 
who had just arrived from "Q" company and most of 
whom were new to fire. And several of us, I think, had a 
presentiment of an awful ordeal to come. The enemy's 
continued shell-fire convinced us again and again that 
we were bucking a consolidated line of resistance. 

Our zero hour was to be 3 :30 A. M., and ours was to 
be the honor of opening the attack in that particular 
sector, for the artillery barrage was not to start until 
3 :37 and the first wave of the Infantry was to go over 
at 5 :30. By midnight all preparations were completed. 
Only the men who were actually to operate the guns 
were kept on the positions. Besides these, there were two 
parties of twenty men, each with a sergeant in charge, 
which were held in reserve some 200 yards west of the 
positions. They were to act as carrying parties in case 
it should be necessary to follow the infantry immediately. 
The operation opened promptly at 3 :30 with the explo- 
sion of a battery of projectors with H. E. and another 
battery with C G. gas. Shortly after the Stokes opened 
fire, while at 3:37 the artillery behind us began laying 
down a terrific barrage on the enemy's lines and the 
back areas. But the attack was not to prove a one-sided 
afifair. Our Stokes had fired only 41 gas and 24 thermite 
bombs when the hostile machine-guns, which had located 
our emplacements, covered the entire position with such 
an intense fire that further operation of the guns was not 
to be thought of. Moreover, the enemy's artillery replied 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 71 

to our own almost immediately, bombarding in a sys- 
tematic fashion the entire ridge and particularly the 
road. The shells literally rained about, high explosives 
varying with gas and occasionally shrapnel. How shall 
I adequately describe our experiences during those five 
horrible hours, as we lay in shell holes or on the road — 
those dreadful, endless hours of paralyzing uncertainty 
and suspense, during which machine guns united with 
shell-fire and. gas to make death seem ever so much 
closer than life. For a time it seemed likely that the 
enemy's infantry would attack before our own, and so 
we lay there, huddled together, nerves tense, weapons 
ready, determined, if the occasion should arrive, to sell 
our lives as dearly as possible, for I hardly believe there 
was one of us who expected to get away alive. 

It would be useless to tell in detail of all the narrow 
escapes, of all the minor happenings of those hours, but 
it does seem to me that at least one act of heroism de- 
serves special mention. As I said before, the enemy 
was throwing over considerable gas. Still there was a 
fairly good breeze, and in most cases it dissipated quite 
rapidly. It was with some surprise, therefore, that the 
men became aware of an ever-increasing odor of phos- 
gene. This in itself was strange, for the enemy was 
shooting almost exclusively sneezing gas. On investiga- 
tion it turned out that a fragment of one of the numerous 
shells that struck close by had torn open one of our 
own phosgene bombs, and that the gas was rapidly 
escaping in our very midst, causing a terrifific concentra- 
tion. It was then that, without a moment's hesitation, 
the sergeant, not stopping to put on his mask, seized the 
broken bomb and carried it out of the hole, where, under 
the most intense fire of the enemy, he buried it and re- 
turned, safe in spite of all. 

With the reserve parties, meanwhile, things, to say 
the least, were no better. To keep out the chill night 



72 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

winds the men had spread their shelter-halves over the 
fox holes which had been dug into the side of the bank, 
when the enemy's barrage opened it was directed par- 
ticularly at this spot, where he believed the infantry 
was lying in readiness to go over. It was not surpris- 
ing, then, that the entire vicinity was thoroughly bom- 
barded. In quick succession the shells struck, many 
of them so near that they blew men to pieces less than 
ten feet from us and peppered our shelter-halves with 
stones and lumps of mud, leaving many of them per- 
forated like sieves. Had the enemy used shrapnel, most 
probably not one of us would have survived. As it 
was we managed to escape injury until 8:30, when, the 
fire increasing in intensity, we left our holes and covered 
the distance to St. Juvin, a good part of it on our hands 
and knees. It was without one of our dearest comrades, 
however, for at 6 :30 A. M. Pvt. Robert Mayne had been 
struck in the back by several shell-fragments, one of 
them finding the heart and causing instant death. On 
the following day we hurried him close by where the 
shell fell, and later on erected a wooden cross over 
his grave. In addition to his death we had another 
casualty that night. It was that of Pvt. Alterici, who 
was affected by gas more seriously than the rest of us, 
and who was sent to the hospital, from where he was 
not released in time to rejoin the company. 

A weary, exhausted, nerve-racked group of men it 
was indeed that, about noon November 1, assembled in 
a gully north of Sommerance to rest and dig in for the 
night. The artillery was still firing furiously, but the 
enemy's barrage had ceased very suddenly about 10 
A. M. and now only occasional shells from long range 
rifles would explode in the vicinity. The weather was 
gloomy and the moist air chilled one to the bones. Yet 
it was with that meticulous care that is characteristic of 
worn-out men, that we prepared our fox-holes, carrying 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 73 

boards and iron sheeting from abandoned machine- 
gunner's dugouts in order to make our "houses" as 
comfortable as possible, even though only for one night. 

And in truth we left the next morning, setting out 
in two sections as had become our custom of late. The 
first sectioin, under Lieut. Le Veque, started from the old 
positions with guns and mules, and, following the road 
from St. Georges, passed through Imecourt to Siury-les- 
Buzancy, which is less than three kilometers south of 
Buzancy itself. The second section, under Lieutenants 
Thompson and Cobern, started across the battlefield with 
guns on one of the hand-carts, while the men carried 
the ammunition and their packs. 

That^ too, was an extremely disagreeable trip, over 
the shell-torn fields where the dead lay strewn about and 
one's feet sank continually in a glue-like mud such as 
France only can boast. We kept on as fast as we 
could, trudging towards Alliepont, and from there to 
Imecourt. I think by far the most redeeming feature 
of the trip was the opportunity it gave us to see at 
first hand the terrible havoc wrought by our own artillery. 
The German barrage had been very heavy, but had 
consisted chiefly of shells of smaller calibre, while our 
own guns had been, to a great extent, large calibre 
howitzers, etc. The enormous craters and the incredibly 
large number of them convinced us that if being under 
the German barrage had been hell, being under our own 
must have been worse than hell. 

We stopped a few hours in Imecourt, and later went 
to Sivry, where we found the first section already lodged. 
The enemy was retreating much more hurriedly than 
had been expected, and the town was filled to more than 
its capacity by troops, guns, field-kitchens, etc. Many 
of us had to sleep in stables that first night. Under the 
circumstances, however, we were glad to find shelter 
anywhere and to enjoy a full night's rest without being 



74 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

called out. It had been a real job to drag the heavy 
cart through the soggy mire for the many miles we had 
covered that day. 

On the next day, November 3rd, the advance con- 
tinued. Buzancy had been occupied by one battalion of 
infantry, which, passing through, had found only two 
Germans. There seemed little chance of our being really 
useful while things progressed so favorably. Still, it was 
necessary to be on hand in case we were needed. So 
the first section started out late in the afternoon and 
marching with heavy packs overtook the infantry just 
south of Sommauthe. Here they dug in and spent the 
night in the rain and mud. On the following days the 
infantry continued its rapid forward movement, while 
our men kept as close to the advancing battalion as pos- 
sible. The weather continued miserable, and above 
Sommauthe the roads were unspeakably muddy, until 
finally it was barely possible for traffic to make any 
headway. The section eventually reached the hamlet 
of Warniforet, where it was held by orders pending a 
divisional relief. 

In the meanwhile the second section was leading a 
rather uneventful existence in Sivry. Very little hap- 
pened beyond occasional air battles, and, during the 
first days, the arrival of a few farewell shells. On the 
6th his section, too, moved forward to Sommauthe, 
which was still under shell-fire from the east, though 
not from the north. Conditions in Sommauthe were 
even worse than in Sivry. It was practically impossible 
to find billets of any kind, while the congestion of 
traffic was worse than I had ever seen it before. Add 
to this the commotion caused by the arrival of hundreds 
of fugitives from towns further up. They came in 
droves, half-naked, hungry, exhausted, homeless, and 
were lodged on trucks, in the church, or in some of 
the buildings. The town was practically uninjured by 



'• ■. ."^v^ 


' "^r;* 


V" — it^W 




'*'-\M 


' - 1 


\-^' '^ iiflP' 


■ " . 


f '^^jkiH^ 


'■^: 


^^Ik 


. \ 


'-^S. 




i .^^^H 


■ j:."' • M 


iW- 


■h 


";, 


m 










X p 






H (u 



« o 
< « 



Di 



H 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 75 

shell-fire, so that the quartering of troops in large num- 
bers had proved quite feasible. 

It was on the 7th of November that orders arrived 
recalling the entire company to Alliepont. The first sec- 
tion, which had been as far north as La Besace, packed 
up and started back, carrying all its possessions and 
material with it. That was on the 8th. On the way 
back the movement of the troops were very much ham- 
pered by the conditions of the traffic and by the refugees, 
whose pathetic plight readily gained the sympathy of the 
boys and induced them to further burden themselves 
by carrying the smaller children and some of the meagre 
belongings of the unfortunates. The section reached 
Sommauthe that evening, and slept in the quarters which 
the second section had left that same morning. Mean- 
while this second section had marched back all day and 
reached its destination, where it was making the best 
of a dirty mudhole for a home. The rest of the company 
joined it there on the following day. It seemed good to be 
together once more, and after getting settled a bit I 
think we rather enjoyed those two days spent in sitting 
about the fire, "swapping" opinions about the coming 
armistice, and gathering in what we could still find in 
the way of souvenirs. 

And then, on the very day the armistice was signed 
and only a few hours after it went into effect, we began 
loading our trucks and, saying a final farewell to the 
battle-line, started back to our rest billets at La Grange 
aux Bois. We had been in the fighting, without respite 
almost, for a little over two months, but they had been 
months of strenuous work, hardship and continuous 
danger. It was with little regret, then, that we left them 
for good, and, passing through Champigneulles and St. 
Juvin, followed the National Highway towards Clermont. 
We found our billets practically as we had left them 
two weeks previous, and, after a good night's rest, woke 



76 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

in the morning to hear the greatest news that has ever 
reached the ear of man. And up there in AlHepont the 
few who had been left to load the last trucks, heard 
the news too, and celebrated as best they could by shoot- 
ing German machine guns and Verey lights, these last 
no doubt, that they would light the beaten foe on his 
"strategic" retreat to the Rhine. 



CHAPTER VI. 
"finie la guerre!" 

The experiences of the company after the armistice 
was signed were so prosaic and seem so colorless as 
compared with the events of the two preceding months 
that there is little need of relating them in any detail. 
The great news was received with joy and the ringing of 
bells in the little town where we were quartered. But 
in France the occurrences of the past four years had 
made unlikely that any boisterous celebrations would long 
continue. I think what we felt most and what the people 
about us experienced most deeply was a sense of de- 
liverance and gratitude. What a relief it was to see 
the bright auto lights gleaming on the white roads, and 
what a pleasure to look at the illuminated windows, — to 
be able once more to turn in at night without having 
to fear an air-raid. 

On Wednesday night, November 13th, we gave a little 
exhibition shoot with thermite partly for the benefit of 
a company of British Royal Engineers who were tem- 
porarily attached to our regiment and who, having done 
only projector work themselves, were somewhat curious 
about thermite shot from Stokes Mortars, partly also 
in order to add a bit in the way of a general celebration. 
We later grew to be quite chummy with the Tommies, 
perhaps because they proved to be such excellent and 
fine-spirited collaborators in an amateur theatrical which 



78 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

the two organizations staged in the local Y. M. C. A. on 
one evening of the week we were there. 

As during our previous stay in La Grange aux Bois, 
the weather was beautiful, though somewhat chilly. We 
enjoyed ourselves very much by doing very little, and 
the persistent rumors of our early departure for the 
States served to keep us in high spirits. The rest of 
the regiment had been concentrated at Verdun, and we 
were expecting to leave for that historic place at almost 
any time. 

Eventually we did set out on foot, starting early in 
the morning of November 20. We had 42 kilometers 
to cover, by no means a negligible distance. The day 
was perfect and for the first 15 kilometers I think we all 
enjoyed it. After that the hard roads began to tell on 
us more and more. Our road led us through Clermont, 
Parois and Dombasle. At this latter town we came up 
with a long train of artillery horses that were bound 
for Verdun, too. Their presence on the road made hiking 
all the more difficult, and since we could not lose them 
we were quite happy, all of us, when some of the regi- 
mental trucks from Verdun met us and took us the last 
seven miles. Night was already setting in when we 
passed through the great gate and under the masive, 
forbidding walls of the old fortress. The town did not 
seem so badly ruined as many of us had expected. Then 
we passed out of the walls again, and finally found 
ourselves billeted in some old French Army barracks 
in the Faubourg du Pave. The weather was cold, the 
rooms large and chilly without windows and the bunks 
hard, so that we spent a rather uncomfortable two days 
there. 

It was on the 22nd that we were moved to other 
barracks within the walls, and at the further side of 
the town. After cleaning them up we were very com- 
fortably lodged, perhaps more comfortably than any- 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 79 

where in France. We had ample opportunity to visit the 
town, which proved to be much more ruined than we 
had at first supposed. Most of us had a chance to see_ 
the great catacombic dugouts under the walls, and some 
even took a trip to the famous battlefields northeast of 
the town. We had very little to do, excepting for three 
regimental reviews that took place on successive after- 
noons and that necessitated a rather long walk through 
the city. 

Then came Thanksgiving Day, and, unlike most or- 
ganizations, we were not disappointed in the question 
of turkey, for an abundant supply had been brought 
from Paris. We had an enviable meal that day, with 
most of the favorite dishes we had been accustomed to 
enjoy in the States. Soon after preparations were started 
to move the entire regiment to the vicinity of Chaumont, 
where we were to await final orders for shipment. An 
early return to the States seemed certain, so much so, 
in fact, that we repacked our barracks-bag (which we 
had not seen since leaving La Ville aux Bois) for ship- 
ment, and were alarmed every time more than six men 
appeared on the morning call for the "sick, lame and 
lazy," {aspirin-aspirants the Germans called them). 

Bright and early in the morning of Saturday, Novem- 
ber 30, we set out in trucks, packed in like pickled her- 
rings, and, after an all-day trip that took us through 
Bar-le-Duc, St. Dizier and Joinville, reached Choignes 
that same night. Perhaps if we had known how long 
was to be our stay at Choignes the waiting might have 
been somewhat more tolerable. As it was, we expected to 
stay but a short time, and consequently not only the con- 
tinued delay was trying, but the inconveniences of con- 
ditions and weather also proved most distasteful. From 
the very beginning circumstances seemed hard. Most of 
us arrived after dark, and, after an all day's ride in the 
chill air, were cold and hungry. Had we not been very 



80 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

tired, too, I doubt whether many would have slept that 
first night, lying on the ground in tin shacks or in some 
village barn. Never, during our stay in the vicinity, was 
the air so penetratingly chilly as during those first days. 

Conditions were, to be sure, soon remedied, for, within 
a day or two the billets were supplied with stoves, lamps 
and, to some extent, at least, with wooden bunks and bed 
ticks. It takes a soldier but a very short time to make 
himself at home anywhere, and experience had long since 
taught us that even presumably the shortest stays may 
prove to be anything but brief. So it did not take us 
long to get comfortably settled, even as it did not take 
the office long to issue a complete schedule of drills and 
inspections. The weather grew mild again, raining al- 
most incessantly and causing everywhere a deep layer of 
very adhesive mud. But the expectation of an early 
departure made all things more or less inconsequential, 
so that at first the company took quite pleasantly to the 
morning drills. As a drill field we used a fine meadow 
which lay between the street and the Marne, and 
which was admirably adapted to sports as well as to 
manoeuvres. 

And the advisability of instituting a schedule of 
sporting contests soon became apparent, for the drizzly 
weather together with the very short days, made the 
hours of the evening seem most tedious and caused the 
men to feel more acutely than ever the desire to devote 
the few daylight hours to something more interesting than 
infantry drill. At first a football team was formed with 
a view toward playing with similar teams from the other 
companies. The connoisseurs in our own organization 
all agreed that we had exceptionally promising material, 
and everyone looked forward to the opening game. Un- 
fortunately it was never played, partly because of the 
delay in forming teams in the other companies and 
partly because of the fact that the Marne, which last 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 81 

summer had been nothing but a rivulet, was continually 
rising until, swelled by the continuous rains, it became 
a rushing, turbulent, unbridled torrent, the yellowish 
waters tearing along its course and finally half flooding 
our beautiful field. Incidentally it was our drill field 
as well as our athletic arena that suffered. At any rate 
it put an end to the dreams of the football fans. 

In another branch of sport, however, the plans not 
only materialized, but even turned out as successfully as 
could ever have been hoped from the football. I am 
referring to the boxing matches. As far back as the 
Fort Myer days this had been a favorite pastime in the 
company, and there are few of us who do not recall the 
old ring down in the hollow behind the tents, where, 
night after night, members of the company challenged 
comers from other organizations. 

At La Ville aux Bois, too, before the company went 
to the line, there had been one or two matches, in which 
our company had acquitted itself with distinction. It 
was with considerable enthusiasm, then, that boxing was 
revived at Choignes. Under the patronage of Captain 
Dayton training was started, the object in view being a 
decisive match between the first and second battalions. 
Company "F" co-operated very actively with our own 
organization so that when the great day finally arrived 
we felt quite well prepared for our rivals. It was on 
December 19th, a rainy day like most of the days we 
spent in the Chaumont area, that the fans boarded a 
truck and went to La Ville aux Bois, where the contest 
was to take place. Quite a considerable group of spec- 
tators had assembled there, among them numerous of- 
ficers whose presence was to some extent indicative of 
the widespread interest. And those who went were well 
repaid for their trouble. The bouts proved exceptionally 
interesting and exciting, and the match turned out an 
unqualified success for our battalion and more particu- 



82 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

larly for our company. The senior battalion won but 
a single bout, that of the heavy-weight class. The light- 
weight and bantam-weight bouts were both won by our 
company, the former by Private Sweet, the latter by 
Private Caroselli. The results were not a surprise to 
anyone, for we were well aware of the talent we pos- 
sessed; on the other hand, the outcome could hardly 
have been more gratifying. Company "E" did not lose 
a single event. 

For the entertainment of those for whom pugilism 
held no appeal provision was also made. Not long after 
our arrival the amateur show which had been so suc- 
cessful at La Grange aux Bois was again staged, this 
time in the local Y. M. C. A. tent and, of course, in a 
considerably altered form. It proved very successful 
and was followed by various other entertainments under 
the direction of Sergeant Tieman and with the assistance 
of the Y. M. C. A. at Chaumont. Perhaps the most 
memorable of these little performances was that given 
by the American Harry Lauder and his troupe. All 
in all, the theatricals helped to take the dreariness out 
of many a long, rainy, muddy evening, and helped the 
men at least for a time to forget the eternal question, 
"When do we go home?" 

Never shall we forget how prominent that question 
was in the minds of all of us, nor how maddening was 
the desire to get away. At first it had seemed reasonably 
certain that we should leave on the 15th or thereabouts. 
Every rumor that indicated such an early departure was 
eagerly pounced upon, and there were enough of them. 
When the barracks bags were unpacked and the squad 
boxes supplied in their stead it seemed that the prospects 
were unquestionable. We packed them in fervent haste, 
had them inspected and began to wait, packs rolled, 
wooden bunks gradually disappearing when firewood 
was scarce or too wet. But the wait proved a long one. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 83 

Day after day passed in desultory drilling and working, 
to say nothing of the guard duty that came every third 
day. Already the first Christmas boxes were arriving, 
and still we were hoping. Some of the boys lost hope, 
I believe, for otherwise it would be almost impossible 
to explain why they should have signed up to stay in 
France for a number of months. This was in connection 
with a regimental platoon to consist of volunteers who 
were to make a tour of various camps to exhibit the 
work of the regiment. Quite a number of men submitted 
their names and, changing their minds, withdrew them. 
The more determined, and those who were actually ac- 
cepted, were Lieutenants Cobern and Mousby, Engineer 
Palacki, Sergeant T. D. Taylor, Corporals McMahan and 
Dowd and Privates Eden, Grigsby, Nardiello, Pruette 
and Rust. The little group left the company just before 
Christmas. Most of those who went were old members 
of the organization and it was hard to see them go, 
especially while most of us still had hopes of leaving 
for home before long. When last heard from the 
platoon was still in the vicinity of Tours, whither they 
had gone after leaving the company. 

And then, in the midst of our hopes and discourage- 
ment, came Christmas. The first snow fell just about 
that time, a soft, thin, white veil that barely covered the 
ground and yet clothed the landscape in a finer radiance 
than it had had even in the summer. It was a distinct 
relief after the weeks of almost unintermittent rain, but 
it made Christmas perhaps even more sombre by re- 
minding us of the homeland and the comforts we had 
been hoping to enjoy by that time. From a material 
point of view, however, the festival was more successful 
than could have been expected. Turkey had again been 
ordered from Paris, and, with other unusual delicacies, 
served to make a real feast. During the afternoon and 



84 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

evening many of the men found recreation and entertain- 
ment in Chaumont, for which town passes were quite 
generously issued during our stay at Choignes. 

At Christmas the outlook for our departure was poor 
enough. But in reality, it was no longer indefinite nor 
far off. It soon became known that we were to leave 
shortly and all preparations were pushed with a vim. 
The v/eather improved somewhat, though it still con- 
tinued raining freakishly during the greater part of the 
time. Tuesday, December 31, was the day fixed for the 
great event. It was one occasion on which the top 
sergeant had no difficulty in getting the company out 
in the small hours of the morning. The cooks served 
an early breakfast, and by daylight all policing and 
packing was completed, so that by 7:30 we were ready 
to fall out. It was a long but welcome march up the 
winding, hilly road to Chaumont, but neither that nor 
the touching farewells of the inhabitants of Choignes 
could detract or diminish the enthusiasm of the boys. 
Everything was going fine until we learned that the 
cars that were to take us to the coast had not yet arrived. 
Then we spent several anxious hours on the boulevard 
near the station, victims of the capricious showers, whil- 
ing away the time in eating ham or cheese sandwiches, 
which, at an incredibly extortionate price, could be had 
in a restaurant close by. At last the long train of cars 
arrived and, after scraping six inches of manure off the 
floors and replacing it by new straw, we were ready 
to entrain. Our trip this time was to be not in passenger 
coaches, but in freight or box cars. Fortunately, how- 
ever, these were not of the famous "Homnies 40, 
Chevaux 8" brand. On the contrary, they were American 
cars of a large and new type. I'm sure they would have 
proved very comfortable had it not been necessary to 
crowd so many men into one car. In many there were 
upward of sixty. 




u 



a '-Tt 

- oi S 



= 2-'' 
J2.5 






IVITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 85 

We were quite ready, however, to put up with any- 
thing so long as we were going in the homeward direc- 
tion. The train was pulled by an American locomotive 
manned by American engineers, so we had hopes of 
making good time, at least better time than we had 
been able to make on the journey from Brest to Chaumont. 
As a matter of fact, we travelled at a very good rate, 
and should have reached our destination in a couple of 
days, perhaps, if we had taken the same direct route 
which we covered last summer. But we went in a curve, 
striking south first through Langres and Dijon, then 
west through Nevers, Bourges and Tours, then north- 
ward to Le Mans, from which our road led west again 
through Laval to Brest. On the whole the trip passed 
quite satisfactorily. The weather was mild and fair 
throughout and the food exceptionally good, due chiefly 
to expenditures from the company fund, as a result of 
which we had chocolates, jam and fresh bread to take 
the place of bully beef and hard tack. At some of the 
larger stations we were served with hot coffee, which 
went a long way toward making us feel comfortable. 
The chief difficulty was encountered during the nights 
when, in each car, every one of some sixty odd lanky 
Yanks tried to stretch out at full length on the floor. 
To do this was physically impossible, so a situation 
usually arose in which legs were piled two or more feet 
high in the centre of the car. After a while the par- 
ticular pair of legs that was most oppressed would revolt, 
throw off its oppressors and soon the far-reaching effects 
of the movement would be felt through the entire car. 
They would become audible, too, for everyone felt it 
his duty to heap imprecations on the head of the un- 
known rebel. One night, I remember, in our car, a 
brilliant recruit laid a case full of hard-tack on a pile 
of these sleeping legs, thinking to economize space in 
that way. The legs, however, immediately and simul- 



86 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

taneously awoke and pushed the case further along where 
another heap of indignant limbs rose and passed it on. 
For quite a while the heavy case surged about, no one 
daring to withdraw his legs from under it, because of 
its weight. Finally a resourceful veteran shoved open 
one of the doors and the dangerous case, the inscription 
on which had been obnoxious for some time, was 
promptly conducted to and through the open door. 

So time passed in smoking, eating and arguing (not 
in sleeping, God knows!) until after a journey of two 
days and three nights, one fine morning we pulled into 
Brest, where the sight of the sea and the ships riding 
at anchor in the harbor soon revived our spirits and 
our hopes. 



CHAPTER VII. 

OUR LAST BATTLE AND HOMEWARD BOUND 

During our leisure hours on the train we had had 
ample opportunity to speculate on our probable stay at 
Brest, if not to formulate hopes that perchance we might 
go on board directly from the train. The disillusion- 
ment that was to follow was, then, particularly bitter. 
To begin with, we were surprised to find the water-front 
quite changed from what it had been last summer. 
Everywhere large warehouses had been constructed, 
powerful cranes erected and railroad facilities amplified. 
Soon after detraining the regiment had its first experi- 
ence in connection with the large mess halls. Leaving 
our packs in a large shed, we were taken for breakfast 
at an enormous kitchen which, as we later learned, was 
for the purpose of feeding details at work on the docks. 
Since it was practically a replica of the troop kitchens at 
the camp, it may not be inappropriate to say a few 
words about it here. The chief features of it were its 
capacity and its system. Lining up in what seemed 
like endless columns outside the shed, the men file by the 
serving benches and into the dining compartment. This 
latter is a large shed containing hundreds of long 
benches and about breast-high, from which the men 
feed in a standing position. Since the hall has no floor- 
ing and it rains almost continuously in the vicinity of 
Brest, the ground under foot usually becomes a deep, 



88 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

sticky mud. After gulping down one's slum amid the 
pushing and jostling of the circulating crowd, one leaves 
by the further end and tries to clean one's mess-kit in 
a barrel of greasy water. 

Having breakfasted in this fashion we set out up the 
long, winding hill in the direction of the Pontanezan 
Barracks. We were in good spirits, the weather was 
fair, and we were relieving our feelings at the expense 
of the innocent M. P.'s, all of which made the long, up- 
hill grind more tolerable. Soon, however, we were in- 
formed that any questionable remarks as to M. P.'s 
or S. O. S. men would be radically dealt with and that 
the authorities of the said down-trodden S. O. S. would 
take measures to keep the offenders in Brest for an 
indefinite time. The prospect held more terrors for us 
than any shells or machine guns could have inspired. 

At one time we had hoped that on our way back 
through Brest we should not be quartered again in the 
old Napoleon barracks within the walls. Soon after 
our arrival at the camp, however, we wished only too 
earnestly that such had been our fate. For to say that 
our surprise knew no bounds would hardly be putting 
it too strongly. In the embarkation camp at Brest 
the old Pontanezan Barracks plays only a very minor 
part. For possibly two or more miles beyond the bar- 
racks the surrounding country was built up with tin 
shacks, troop kitchens or tents. It was for one of these 
tented areas that we were destined, and, as a matter of 
fact, it was the most remote corner of the camp. As 
we were trudging wearily along the crowded road it 
began to rain again — that cold, driving rain that had 
been the usual thing ever since Thanksgiving. We were 
chilled and drenched, then, when, after stumbling over 
a long, wretched road, we reached our destination. 

Our tents, we found, were situated in an area where 
the mud was at its deepest. It is not surprising, then. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 89 

that within the tents the ground was not only muddy, 
but that in many of them the water was standing in 
large puddles. It had been raining for many days and 
the sides of the tents were rolled up; that accounts for 
the condition in which we found them. Moreover, there 
were no bunks in any of them and stoves in only three 
or four. Of firewood there was no trace anywhere. 
Under these circumstances the reader can well imagine 
what our first night was like, a case of sleeping in the 
mud and keeping warm as best one could with wet 
clothes on and damp blankets only at one's disposal. 

The next morning we got up, or rather, were gotten 
out, at an early hour, while it was still dark. It was only 
one morning of many similar ones to follow — wrapping 
oneself in a clammy slicker and drawing on soaking 
wet shoes and gloves, wading through mud ankle-deep, 
trudging somewhat over a mile to a kitchen, standing 
in an almost interminable line, while the cold rain beat 
down upon one, and, dripping from either end of one's 
cap, trickled clear down one's neck and back. And then 
the kitchens, where a lot of marine recruits, lately arrived 
overseas, glorying in their bit of authority, raged and 
raved till they made one's fists itch. The food in itself 
was fairly good, though by the time one had followed 
the intricate windings of complex labyrinthine passages 
and found a foot of space at one of the benches it was 
usually cold or at best luke-warm. 

After meals one could return to the mud-hole if, 
perchance, the company was so fortunate as not to be 
on a detail. These details were of various kinds. At 
first they were in connection with supplying ourselves 
with means of existence, carrying wet duck-boards to 
sleep on and procuring a limited and insufficient number 
of stoves with a few sticks of wet, green wood for each. 
Later on they were of a more important nature, dealing 
with work connected with the camp. The first of these 



90 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

took us out to dig in an enormous pit, destined for 
garbage. The rain was particularly cold that day and 
the wind high ; at the same time, there was room for 
only about one-third of the men to work in the pit and 
for them it was well-nigh impossible to accomplish any- 
thing in the rocky soil. So we stood about, reeking wet 
and cold, till finally we were permitted to take refuge 
in an empty shack. On another occasion we got up at 
four A. M. in order to get breakfast and board trucks 
for Brest, where we spent the day on the freight cars. 
The worst part of that particular detail was the fact 
that we could not help seeing various organizations 
marching by on their way to the boat, — lucky dogs, we 
thought them, to be getting out of that hell-hole. 

After a time we began to get night details, the first 
one at Brest, unloading lumber from a large freighter. 
It was a beastly night and we had to wait an exceptionally 
long time for the trucks that were to take us down. As 
I think back on those hours of misery — useless misery 
and discomfort, — I realize to the full my inability to 
adequately picture what we and thousands of others of 
the "brave and victorious American boys" suffered at 
the hands of the S. O. S. authorities. If, in my predica- 
ment, I appeal to any of the boys for assistance, they 
usually burst out in a violent stream of invective so 
strong that it would hardly be fit for appearance in print. 
At any rate, one thing we learned, namely, that rain and 
mud can go a longer way toward taking the heart out 
of man than can shot or shell, and that one does not 
need to go to the front to find a battle. No less deeply 
impressed on our minds than the thrilling events on the 
line will be those stormy nights when our most cherished 
love letters and, despite the most rigid regulations, the 
duck-boards, too, went toward building a fire around 
which we huddled, waiting for the gust that was to 
tear the tent from its moorings. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 91 

In all this there was one consolation — conditions were 
gradually improving and the indications were that it could 
not last forever. It does not take a soldier long to make the 
best of a bad thing, so that we were soon as comfortable 
as circumstances would permit. Moreover, some atten- 
tion was being paid to our equipment, and the first of a 
long series of inspections were being held. All of which 
led us to hope for an early departure. The inspection 
for cooties revealed the fact that in many cases the little 
pests had found good grazing in the company. Their 
prosperity, was, however, to be but short-lived, for after 
a bath and a thorough oil treatment, they made their 
appearance only very spasmodically and in very limited 
numbers. As to the equipment, that, too, was rigidly 
inspected. On the significant day that his highness, the 
camp inspector, was to make his tour, we were quite 
aflutter, just like recruits. When finally he arrived, we all 
wore our best smile while, to the music of the band, the 
officers conducted the inspector about. We were later 
given to understand that he was quite delighted and that 
the ordeal had been successfully passed. 

It seemed that from that time on things improved. 
Even as regards the weather, this applies, for occasionally 
we had an hour or two of clear sky. The big event, 
however, was moving from the tents to tin barracks near 
the walls. There was nothing particularly wonderful 
about these galvanized iron shacks, but at least we no 
longer had to worry about the tents blowing down and 
besides there were wire bunks. Wood for the stoves was 
also accessible, and we had duck-boards on which to 
walk. Best of all, though, was the kitchen, which not 
only fed as good or better than any of the five we ate 
at during our stay at Brest, but was within a hundred 
yards of our barracks. At dinner we now had a band, 
to the "jazz" of which we could chew our food by the 
numbers and digest it rhythmically. Day by day the 



92 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

weather improved and details came at ever greater inter- 
vals. To minister to our comfort we were even supplied 
with two extra blankets, while a delayed pay-day brought 
the wherewithal to make a visit to the Y. M. C. A. 
worth while. 

All this was, of course, well enough, and was appre- 
ciated for what it was worth. But with us the pressing 
question was ever "When do we go home?" Toward 
the fifteenth of the month we felt sure that we were 
going, and the betting was spirited. But the days passed 
and we were still on detail, still waiting. After a while 
even the rumors died away, as is usual before the 
rumored event comes to pass. The first indication of 
our approaching departure, and one which but few recog- 
nized as such, was a very rigid physical examination to 
which we were subjected and a very hurried trip to the 
delousing plant, for the few who were found afflicted 
with the persistent cooties. That was on a Wednesday. 
We were due for a detail that night and some of us grew 
suspicious when it did not come. Then, next day, rumors 
were rampant in the company once again. This time, 
however, they seemed well-founded. That same after- 
noon we had a personal inspection with full packs and 
the billets were thoroughly policed. After that things 
went quickly. Full instructions as to conduct and pro- 
cedure were issued, blankets were turned in, packs were 
not to be broken, and reveille was fixed for 3:15 A. M. 
But few of us slept at all that night. After reveille the 
billets were again policed, and at 5 :00 A. M. we had a 
special breakfast. From that time until 7 :30, when we 
fell out, we sat around the dying fires, smoking and 
worrying. 

When the company had been formed there began that 
long series of waits characteristic of all important moves. 
The packs were heavy, but at first we did not mind that 
so much. The worst of it was that we were "at ease," 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 93 

not permitted to speak or smoke. This was a camp 
regulation, and it further specified that we should march 
through the camp at attention. I hardly know whether 
we felt more jubilant at leaving or more indignant at the 
imposition of this and similar orders. But it could not 
be helped ; it was a choice between asserting ourselves 
and going home. We unanimously chose the latter. So 
we marched out, units of a victorious army on their 
way home tramping through and out of the camp, along 
the hilly miles to the city and through it to the docks. It 
was a hard hike, made harder yet by the bitter thought 
that we were obliged to leave like a pack of slinking, 
whipped curs the country to which we had come prepared 
to give gladly all we had in us. 

It was a keen, brisk morning on which we finally 
embarked. As we came down the hill from the upper 
city we saw that there were at least three transports in 
the harbor, two large four-stackers, and, further out, a 
two-stacker. We hoped to get on one of the former, 
and were, perhaps, somewhat disappointed when the 
lighter passed by both of them and made off in the 
direction of the two-stacker. As we approached it, how- 
ever, we were soon reconciled, for she was a larger 
ship than we had supposed. Moreover, we found that 
rumor had been right, she was the Royal Mail Steamer 
"Celtic." From the smoking funnels we conjectured 
that she would probably sail soon. 

Somehow, from the very moment we approached her 
the ship gave the impression of quiet and comfort, per- 
haps because of the presence of only a few people on 
the decks, among whom were several ladies as well as 
members of the regular crew. In general it was quite 
a different spectacle than was the appearance of the 
"President Grant," swarming with troops and sailors. We 
went aboard about 2 :30 P. M. and from that moment 
wonders multiplied. Instead of filing down into the con- 



94 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

gested and gloomy bowels of the ship we were conducted 
to the first deck, into a large, roomy compartment, well- 
lighted and with portholes for ventilation. There were 
long, clean wooden tables and benches, hammocks with 
heavy, white blankets, which were slung in the same 
room at night, clean wash-rooms, and, above all, plenty 
of room on the decks. The food, too, was exceptionally 
good, a fact which, together with the convivial spirit at 
the tables, made our meals (breakfast, dinner and "tea") 
enjoyable times indeed. Nor was our patience long 
tried in waiting for the ship to pull out. At five in 
the afternoon she turned around and, nosing into a keen 
breeze, started out toward the setting sun. 

No group of men was ever more anxious to get to 
its destination, but this fact did not detract in any way 
from our enjoyment of the trip. The weather was almost 
invariably fair and the sea reasonably calm. On only 
one or two days was it so cold that it was uncomfortable 
outside. But we were bucking a stiff wind all the way, 
and it was invigorating, indeed, to sit on the deck, smok- 
ing and reading, or chatting while the crystal spray 
dashed away from the ship. In the evening the decks 
were illuminated (all so unlike the trip over) so that 
a little promenade before turning in was all that could 
be desired. As to troublesome regulations and disagree- 
able work, there was none. Minor cleaning details and 
one guard were the only demands made on our time. 
There were only some 2,500 souls aboard, so that, with 
our own regiment the dominant organization, we felt 
quite at home, certainly happy and contented. Without 
exception we agreed that in the transport of troops life 
could hardly be made more pleasant than was ours while 
"Homeward Bound." 

And then, on Saturday afternoon, the keenest eyes 
sighted a lighthouse. Everyone was on deck and there 
were endless arguments until eventually we could all see 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 95 

it. Words cannot describe our delight. We stood as 
though rooted to the spot, and gradually the low-lying 
land of Fire Island rose from the sea. A little later we 
passed the lightship. x\fter that wonders multiplied 
quickly, for within a short time land appeared on the 
other side, too. Before long we saw the ghstening lights 
of Long Island and by nightfall we were in the lower 
bay, where the pilot came aboad and we later dropped 
anchor. No one slept much that night. Till a late hour 
we stayed up and watched the lights. At four in the 
morning we were up again, in readiness to go. Towards 
eight o'clock the ship weighed anchor and we were on 
our way up the harbor, past the wonderful lady of our 
dreams and to the dock. During this little trip we were 
accompanied by the patrol boat of the Mayor's Com- 
mittee, by which we were given our first ovation. At 
the pier, too, there were crowds waiting for us, and, as 
usual, the good old Red Cross with some real coffee and 
rolls, to say nothing of the candy or cigarettes. 

It was the ill fate of our first platoon to be assigned 
the detail for handling the baggage of the regiment. 
We didn't care, for nothing mattered after we were once 
on American soil again. Nevertheless it proved to be 
anything but a negligible bit of work, for it involved 
handling some 250 to 300 squad boxes and supply cases, 
75 odd trunks and 80 bed-rolls, to say nothing of a heap 
of bags and packs. These we had to transfer from one 
place to another on the pier, then load aboard a lighter, 
unload again onto freight cars on the Long Island side, 
and later partly unload at Camp Mills, where the regiment 
had gone. Since there were only some 25 to 30 men 
available in the platoon, it was a hard job, and it was 
after 1 :00 A. M. when we finally got to bed. 

But that was all. We soon found that little or nothing 
was expected of us over here. The barracks were very 
comfortable and the food incredibly good. On Tuesday 



96 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST CAS 

morning we were thoroughly and effectively deloused 
for the last time and then permitted to go to New York. 
On the following day we turned out early, and after the 
usual delays, entrained for Lakehurst, N. J. It involved 
a trip on the ferry and another lunch by the Red Cross, 
so it was already afternoon when we reached our last 
camp. At Lakehurst the town turned out to welcome 
us, making us feel thoroughly that everyone was glad to 
see us and that all would be done to make us enjoy 
our stay. 

By supper time we had reached Camp Kendrick, had 
filled our bed-ticks with new straw and received our two 
extra blankets. We found the camp small but very 
pleasant, with good kitchens and comfortable, though 
somewhat close, quarters. Within a day or two the last 
regimental parade took place, on which occasion the 
company was also photographed. And this brings me 
to the last words of my narrative, written while the boys 
are either at camp or on pass nearby, each and everyone 
waiting for that wonderful document, — the discharge. 
For, though we have been through hell together and 
know that many times in the years to come we shall 
miss the comradeship of the buddies and friends of our 
army days, we are, after all, essentially a peaceful lot, 
quite ready to forget the shot and shell, the gas and 
flame, and return, each in his own way, to the pursuits 
of civilian life, to win our future laurels in the fields of 
peace. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 97 



MUD, MUD, MUD ! 

Rain, mud; mud, rain; 

Dark November, old Lorraine, 

Dug-outs, barbed wire. 

Rations of iron, sauce of mire — 

Who will trade his homely fire 

For the mud, mud, mud? 

Mud, rain, rain, mud; 
Dragging feet, aching thud, 
Day sleep, nightmare, 
Clamor of gongs, gassed air — 
He who is dry, who will dare 
The mud, mud, mud? 

Rain, mud, mud, rain — 

Into Hell and out again! 

Dry roof, good bread. 

Back in the States, my old Homestead — 

And I left it all to merely tread 

The mud, mud, mud! 

R.B. M. 



Jn il^m0riam 



Lieutenant John V. Fleming 

It is with profound regret that we record here the 
death of one of our most beloved leaders, Lieutenant 
John V. Fleming. During the never-to-be-forgotten drive 
through the Argonnes, Lieutenant Fleming was leading a 
section of Company E just north of Fleville. It was at 
this point that the enemy had put up such a fierce resis- 
tance, for firmly emplaced in the famous Freya Stellung, 
he had brought our infantry to a standstill. It was Lieu- 
tenant Fleming's purpose to break the line with a well 
timed gas show. Previous to the attack, on the morning 
of October 15th, he was summoned to the post of com- 
mandment, whereupon he set out at once with two 
runners on the road to Sommerance. At eight o'clock, 
midst enemy harassing fire, a fragment from a Boche 
shell lodged in his lower right chest. He was imme- 
diately removed to Mobile Hospital No. 2, near Varennes, 
but succumbed the next morning at seven-thirty. The 
funeral was held soon after, and he was buried in honors 
by his own men in the officers' graveyard at Varennes. 

Lieutenant Fleming was bom in San Francisco in 
1891, and was educated at St. Mary's College. For sev- 
eral years he specialized in highway and irrigation work 
in California. When war broke out with Germany, he 
enlisted in the Fourth Company, Engineer Officers' Train- 
ing School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and on re- 
ceiving his commission, was stationed with the Fifth 
Engineers at Louisville, Ky. In the spring of 1918 he 
was transferred to the 30th Engineers, "Gas and Flame," 
at Fort Myer, Va., where Company E was organized. 
He was married a little over a year when he crossed 



102 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

overseas, his wife returning to her home in Vallejo, Cah- 
fornia. In France he was ever with his men, who soon 
recognized his capable leadership and generous demo- 
cratic friendship. Both behind the lines and in action, he 
won our implicit faith ; this, even more than fearlessness 
and bravery, is the greatest tribute we can render. 



Private Robert M. Mayne 

There was amongst us a comrade well beloved by all. 
From beginning to end he shared our hardships and our 
victories. At Fort Myer, at Ville aux Bois, at St. Mihiel, 
and clear through the Argonne Forests, he proved himself 
an ardent, virile soldier. The war was so near an end 
when he gave his life, that for most of us it is hard to 
realize that good old Bobby Mayne has "gone West." 

Robert M. Mayne was born in 1899, in Huntington, 
Ind., was educated at Huntington High School, and was 
engaged in automobile work previous to the war. He 
enlisted February 21st, 1918, in the 30th Engineers, and 
came over with Captain Dayton's boys. He participated 
in every all- American drive in France; but on October 
31st, that fateful Hallowe'en night, he was hit by a high 
explosive shell while on a carrying party in No Man's 
Land. Death came instantly. The next morning, after 
the infantry advanced, he was buried by his own men 
about half a mile east of St. Juvin, on the St. Georges 
Road. 



CASUALTY LIST 



OFFICERS 
DIED OF WOUNDS 
Fleming, John V., 1st Lieut Oct. 15th, 1918, Varennes. 

SLIGHTLY WOUNDED 
Richardson, Ralph B., 1st Lieut.. .Sept. 8th, Oct. 28th, 1918, recovered. 

ENLISTED 
KILLED IN ACTION 
Mayne, Robert M., Pvt. Nov. 1st, 1918, St. Juvin. 

DIED OF DISEASE 
Maeding, Jack, Pvt January, 1919. 

SERIOUSLY WOUNDED 

Noel, Prosper L., Pvt. 1st CI Sept. 29th, 1918, recovered, in hospital. 

Miller, L. P., Corp Oct. 2nd, 1918, recovered. 

Murray, John J., Corp ^Oct. 2nd, 1918, recovered, returned to U.S.A. 

Taylor, R. I., Pvt. 1st CI ^Oct. 2nd, 1918, recovered, returned to U.S.A. 

Wachter, John J., Pvt. 1st CI.. Oct. 2nd, 1918, recovered. 

Powers, Elmer J., Pvt Sept. 22nd, 1918, recovered. 

SLIGHTLY WOUNDED 

Brickey, Merle O., Pvt Nov. 1st, 1918, in hospital. 

Casey, John F., Sgt ..Oct. 28th, 1918, in hospital. 

Harmon, Forrest D., Corp October, 1918, recovered. 

Hyett, Roland, Pvt Oct. 5th, 1918, recovered. 

Palackey, Frank P., M. Engr Oct. 2nd, recovered. 

Patterson, James T., Pvt. 1st Q Oct. 5th, recovered. 

Pruette, Otto, Pvt.. Sept. 29th, 1918, recovered. 

Rolands, Emrys, Pvt Oct. 2nd, 1918, recovered. 

Shuckerow, Frederick J., Corp Nov. 1st, recovered. 

Smith, Dan, Pvt Sept. 12th, 1918, recovered. 

Tuttle, George W., Sgt. Sept. 29th, 1918, in hospital. 



104 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

SLIGHTLY GASSED 

Alterici Louis, Pvt... Nov. 1st, 1918, in hospital. 

Sander, Jacob D., Pvt Sept. 12th, 1918, recovered. 

Stockman, E. J., Pvt. Oct. 30th, 1918, recovered. 

MISSING IN ACTION 

Kroog, Aaron, Pvt Nov. 1st, 1918, dropped. 

Finelli, Dominico, Pvt Nov. 1st, 1918, dropped. 



DROPPED ON ACCOUNT OF SICKNESS OR INJURY 



Anthony, Richard L., Corp. 
Brassaemle, Robert M., Pvt. 
Brightman, James H., Pvt. 
Brittaine, Herbert, Corp. 
Curtis, Ray E., Sgt. 
Durea, Edward R., Pvt. 
F'ischer, John W., Pvt. 
Fite, William A., Pvt. 
Hall, Frank C, Pvt. 
Howard, Benjamin E., Pvt. 
Hoover, Charles, Pvt. 
Hurdle, Harry, Pvt. 
Jacobs, Claude E., Pvt. 
Jenkinson, Roy A., Pvt. 
Kommer, Harry, Pvt. 
Lalone, Ralph L., Pvt. 



Manette, John M., Pvt. 
Marx, Nicholas, Pvt. 
Messmer, Charles, Cook. 
Mohn, Newton C, Pvt. 
Montgomery, Pearl E., Pvt. 
Morrison, Frederick, Corp. 
Mclntyre, Robert A., Sgt. 
Pennington, Yates, Pvt. 
Rainey, Maurice A., Pvt. 
Roberts, Myron, Pvt. 
Shiflet, George A., Pvt. 1st CL 
Tennant, Walter J., Pvt. 
Wegis, Anthony, Pvt. 
Williams, John, Pvt. 
Zangger, Karl, Corp. 



THE ROSTER 



Note: — o indicates men of the original company. 

a indicates men who became subsequently attached. 

d indicates men who were dropped permanently from the company. 

X indicates men who stayed in Europe with the exhibition platoon. 

OFFICERS 

Dayton, Roscoe B., Capt. Engrs. (o) 1121 15th St., Augusta Ga. 

Luder, Earl E., Capt. C.W.S. (o) .214 North East 5th St., Washington, Ind. 

Paine, Albert W., Capt C.W.S. (a,d) 1498 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Brodesser, R. A., 1st. Lieut. C.W.S (a,d).-552 Summit Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. 
Fleming, John V., 1st. Lieut. Engrs. (o,d)..520 Capitol St., Vallejo, Cal. 

Le Veque, Leslie, 1st Lieut. C.W.S. (a) 321 East Arch St., Marquette, Mich. 

Richardson, Ralph B., 1st Lieut. C.W.S. (o) 341 Magnolia Ave,, Long Beach, Cal. 
Robinson, W. B., 1st Lieut. C.W.S. (a,d)— 407 Delaware Ave., So. Bethlehem, Pa, 
Trammel, Scott, 1st Lieut. C.W.S. (a,d) 1006 H St. N. E., Washington, D. C. 

Burr, George C, 2nd Lieut. C.W.S. (o) Jefferson St., New Rochelle, N. Y. 

Campbell, Fred'k C.,2nd Lieut. C.W.S. Ca)— 5669 Ridge Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Cobern, Camden, 2nd Lieut. C.W.S. (a,x) Phi Kappa Psi, Allegheny College, Neade- 

ville. Pa. 
Hitchins, Rob't H., 2nd Lieut. C.W.S. (o,d)— Frostburg, Md. 

Mousby, Paul F., 2nd Lieut. C.W.S. (a,x)..656 Pacific St., San Francisco, Cal. 
Nutty, Pitt McCoy 2nd Lieut. C.W.S (a)— Schenley Hotel, Pittsburg, Pa. 
Thompson, Lauren, 2nd Lieut, C.W.S. (a).. 1523 Frick Bldg., Pittsburg, Pa. 

ENLISTED 

Palackey, Frank P., Master Engr. (a,x).-.17 South Robinson St., Baltimore, Md. 

Hughes, Jennings P., 1st Sgt. (o) —711 Sth St., New Martinsville, W. Va. 

Allen, Arthur C, Sgt. 1st CI. (o) Buhl, Ida. 

Kent, Victor H., Sgt. 1st C. (o) ..Lebanon, Ore. 

Taylor, Thomas D., Sgt. 1st CI. (o,x) 1416 Otto Blvd., Chicago Hts., Cook Co., 111. 

Test, Clarence R., Sgt. 1st CI. (o) F'ort Scott, Kansas. 

Tieman, Arnold W., Sgt. 1st CI. (o) 422 West 48th St., N. Y. City 

Tuttle, Mearl J., Sgt. 1st CI. (o) Paraiso, Canal Zone, Panama 

Henry, Duncan C, Sgt., Supply (o) Goldfield, la. 

Casey, John F., Sgt. (o,d)- .525 N. Chestnut St., Seymour, Ind. 

Chaty, Arthur, Sgt. (a) .2104 Derby St., Berkley, Cal. 

Collier, Edward C, Sgt., (o) 311 Stanton St., Bay City, Mich. 

Curtis, Ray E., Sgt. (o,d) 407 Mississippi Ave., Joliet, 111. 

Davis, Clarence G., Sgt. (a) Box 112, Charleston, Wash. 

Gilmore, Clayton, Sgt. (o) ..131 So. 9th St., Reading, Pa. 



106 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Herza, Frederick W., Sgt. (o) Box 1338, Fort Worth, Tex. 

Langer, William L., Sgt. (o) 16 Carver St., Cambridge, Mass. 

Lusk, Thomas S., Sgt. (a) Falls City, Ore. 

McDade, Edward B., Sgt. (o) 312 No. 2nd St., McAllister, Okla. 

Mclntyre, Robert A., Sgt. (o,d) ^69 Willis St., New Bedford, Mass. 

Rick, Forrest I., Sgt. (a) 314 Andre Ave., Mount Pleasant, Mich. 

Torrey, Prescott H., Sgt. (o) 25 Spear St., Quincy, Mass. 

Tuttle, George W., Sgt. (o,d) 933 West 7th St., Cincinnati, O. 

Weldy, Daniel W., Sgt. (o) -341 Trueman Ave., Hammond, Ind. 

Adams, Howard H., Corp. (o) 35 Greenville Ave., Limanville, R. I. 

Anthony, Richard L., Corp. (o,d) 1312 Garfield Ave., Canton, O. 

Bandurraga, Thomas M., Corp. (o) 1442 Toberman St., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Brittain, Herbert, Corp. (o,d) 299 Grove St., Akron, O. 

Coe, Foster, Corp. (o) Wray, Colo. 

Day, Robin D., Corp. (o) 1190 So. Liberty St., Salem, Ore. 

Dowd, Patrick, Corp. (o,x) IS No. Root St., Aurora, 111. 

Erskine, Ralph M., Corp. (o) 700 No. Jefferson St., Bay City, Mich. 

Gamier, James J., Corp. (o) Lovelocks, Nev. 

Gray, Chas. P., Corp. (o) - 308 Garrard St., Covington, Ky. 

Haller, Edward J., Corp. (o) 906 East Oak St., New Albany, Ind. 

Hamilton, Amos, Corp. (o) Fickle, Ind. 

Hannemann, Joseph J., Corp. (o) ...6422 West Dakin St., Chicago, lU. 

Hansen, Einer A., Corp. (o) 5917 Byron St., Chicago, 111. 

Harmon, Forrest D., Corp. (o) R.F.D. No. 2, Bellefontaine, O. 

Heagney, William T., Corp. (o)— 19 Dix St., Worcester, Mass. 

Johnston, Ralph A., Corp. (a,x) Kamiah, Ida. 

Lively, Carlos A., Corp. (o) 216 North Garfield St., Oblong, 111. 

McMahon, Earl E., Corp (o,x).-. 317 Addison St., Washington, Pa. 

Miller, L. P., Corp. (o) Riceville, la. 

Morrison, Frederick, Corp. (o,d) 2104 Jefferson St., Ogden, Utah 

Murray, John J., Corp. (o,d) 24 Oak St., Cambridge, Mass. 

Neighbours, Ray, Corp. (o) McCredie, Mo. 

O'Neil, James, Corp. (o) 98 Laurel St., Fitchburg, Mass. 

Peterson, Clarence R., Corp. (o) 597 Michigan Ave., Hammond, Ind. 

Ryg, Clarence W., Corp. (o) Slater, la. 

Shanks, Robert G., Corp. (o) Hannah, N. D. 

Shuckerow, Frederick J., Corp. (o) 28 Pliny St., Hartford, Conn. 

Sivard, Dean V., Corp (o) Steubenville, O. 

Spriggs, Herbert S., Corp. (o) Eureka, Utah 

Taylor, George W., Corp. (o) c/o Lab. Swift & Co., East St. Louis, 111. 

Wenzel, Rudolph A., Corp. (o) R.F.D. No. 5, Box 18, St. Joseph, Mo. 

Williams, William C, Corp. (o) R.R. No. 3, Portersville, Pa. 

Zangger, Karl, Corp. (o,). Marcus, la. 

Collins, Joseph, Cook (a) 633 Cottage St., New Bedford, Mass. 

Keating, John T., Cook (o) 113 Cleveland Ave., Trenton, N. J. 

Long, Elmer, Cook (o) Town Creek, N. C. 

Messmer, Chas., Cook (o,d)... Hamburg, la. 

Peck, John H., Cook (o) 340 Grandview Ave., South Bellevue, Ky. 

Baumgartner, Herman F., Wagoner (o) Berne, Ind. 

Grain, Hersey N., Wagoner (o) Waverly, 111. 

Flores, Frank A., Wagoner (a) 609J^ Kansas St., El Paso, Tex. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 107 

McMillan, Harvey C, Wagoner (o) 715 Lakeview Blvd., Seattle, Wash. 

Murphy, Walter, Wagoner (o) 1123 Lake Ave., Elyria, O. 

Watkins, John, Bugler (o) — 609 E. Market St, Mahanoy City, Pa. 

Adams, Clyde, Pvt 1st CI. (o) 741 W. Center St., Marion, O. 

Ahl, Leslie, Pvt. 1st CI. (a) 178 Washington St., Maiden, Mass. 

Arndt, Ralph M., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Hutchinson, Minn. 

Barker, James F., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) R.F.D. No. 2, Pennsboro, W. Va. 

Blair, Lester D., Pvt 1st CI. (o).. Iowa Apts. No. 4, Washington, D. C. 

Brassaemle, Robert M., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 431 Crouse St., Akron, O. 

Clifford, Carl R., Pvt. 1st CI. (o).. .104 West 1st St., Middletown, O. 

Conn, Asahel E., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) New Richmond, Ind. 

Corbett, William L., Pvt 1st CI. (o) R.F.D. No. 1, Minamac, Ind. 

Cottingham, William H., Pvt 1st CI. (o).-.R. R. No. 3, Noblesville, Ind. 

Dimick, Earl A., Pvt 1st CI. (o) —Minerva, N. Y. 

Dyker, Gordon S., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 205 Smith Ave., Detroit, Mich. 

Edmonds, Edward M., Pvt 1st CI. (o) Terrace P. O., Homeville, Pa. 

Erskine, George R., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 267 Selden Ave., Detroit, Mich. 

Fisher, Jack C, Pvt. 1st CI. (o). 114 21st St, Warwood, Wheeling, W. Va. 

Flannery, Stephan P., 1st CI. (o) —368 44th St., Pittsburg, Pa. 

Fuhrman, Paul C, Pvt 1st CI. (a) Columbiana, O. 

Giffin, Warley, Pvt 1st CI. (a) Mineral, O. 

Gries, Frank F., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 1504 Arthur Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Halk, Nathan B., Pvt 1st CI. (o) — 1103 Wyoming St, Dayton, O. 

Hancock, James, Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 65 Meridian St., East Boston, Mass. 

Haught, Albert B., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 220 25th St, Bellaire, O. 

Home, Thomas, Pvt 1st CI. (o) 316 Poplar St, Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Hughes, Patrick, Pvt 1st CI. (o) U. S. A. 

Hurley, John W., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 14 Lauder St, East Lynn, Mass. 

Kaufman, Marshall F., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 153 Bellaire Ave., Louisville, Ky. 

Kenney, Raymond F., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 434 E. 52nd St., No. Portland, Ore. 

Kommer, Harry Z., Pvt. 1st CI. (o,d) 1310 Western Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. 

Lindsay, Frederick, Pvt 1st CI. (o)- 1305 Millburn St, Toledo, O. 

Lindsay, John O., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 2307 Westmar St, N. S., Pittsburg, Pa. 

MacMullin, Robert B., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 154 W. 73rd St, New York, N. Y. 

Mansur, Norman C, Pvt 1st CI. (o,d) Epping, N. H, 

Markle, Robert E., Pvt 1st CI. (o) Pennsboro, W. Va. 

Martin, Ira A., Pvt 1st CI. (o). R.R. No. 1, Drake, Ky. 

Matheny, William G., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 801 Maple St, Herrin, 111. 

McLaughlin, James F., Pvt 1st CT. (o) 12 Robinson St, Wilmington, Del. 

Merlone, Eugene, Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 307 W. 39th St., New York, N. Y. 

Meyerowitz, Leo., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 29 Salem St, Newark, N. J. 

Myrtle, George D., Pvt 1st CI. (a) Algona, Wash. 

Noel, Prosper L., Pvt 1st CI. (o,d) .Greenbay, Wis. 

Penick, Ercil V., Pvt 1st CI. (o).. 4595 Jefferson St, Bellaire, O. 

Pettefi, Oliver, Pvt 1st CI. (o) —Hurley, Iron County, Wis. 

Phelipow, William, Pvt 1st CI. (o,d) 1414 No. Ruby St, Chicago, 111. 

Phipps, Francis H., Pvt 1st CI. (o).. 102 So. 6th Ave., Mount Vernon, N. Y. 

Powers, Elmer J., Pvt 1st CI. (o)— 1557 Sheeny St, Youngstown, O. 

Pratt, Chas. H., Pvt 1st CI. (o) 505 Central St, East Bridgewater, Me. 

Quammon, Leonard F., Pvt. 1st Co. (o) Lindsay, Mont. 

Rothgeber, George F., Pvt 1st CI. (o) Pipestone, Minn. 



108 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Sander, Jacob D., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) —3323 Fairfield Ave., Cincinnati, O. 

Shell, Jacob D., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Bannock, Minn. 

Shiflet, George A., Pvt. 1st CI. (o,d) 181 Walnut St., Hamilton, O. 

Sieling, Edward H., Pvt. 1st CI. (o,d) 3458 No. Whipple St., Chicago, 111. 

Spayde, James L., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Belleville, O. 

Stevens, Carl J., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Pierre, S. D. 

Stewart, John E., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Wayzata, Minn. 

Stockman, Edward J., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 3132 Durrell Ave., Cincinnati, O. 

Stockton, Bernard C, Pvt. 1st CI. (o) Kernersville, N. C. 

Stone, Harry G., Pvt. 1st CI. (o). Medina, Mich. 

Taggart, Frank, Pvt. 1st. CI. (o) 28 Besant Lane, Uniontown, Pa. 

Taylor, Russel I., Pvt. 1st CI. (o,d) 1200 Bender Ave., Cleveland, O. 

Wachter, John J., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 1420 Rush St., N. S., Pittsburg, Pa. 

Wagner, William J., Pvt. 1st CI. (o) 212 Diebert St., Johnstown, Pa. 

Waldo, Ralph E., Pvt. 1st CI. (a)— 1417 E. 37th Ave., Spokane, Wash. 

Walter, John C, Pvt. 1st CI. (a) 3515 Norton Ave., Everett, Wash. 

Alterici, Louis, Pvt. (o,d) 614 Washington Ave., Charleroi, Pa. 

Archer, Arthur W., Pvt., (a) —.319 W. 23rd St., New York, N. Y. 

Atkins, Clarence, Pvt. (o) 5230 So. Homan St., Chicago, 111. 

Baines, Arthur S^, Pvt. (o) El Verano, Cal. 

Baker, Nolan W., Pvt. (o) 858 Bennet St., Wilmington, Del. 

Barbarian, Mikrand, Pvt. (a) 49 Seymour Ave., Newark, N. J. 

Barchanowicz, Charles, Pvt. (o) 518 Vermont Ave., Glassport, Pa. 

Bever, Charles F., Pvt. (a) 827 Race St., Logansport, Ind. 

Billings, Hezekiah, Pvt. (o) R.F.D. No. 3, Millington, Mich. 

Bingham, Carleton R., Pvt. (o) 434 Newton PI. N. W., Washington, D. C. 

Blackwell, Lee R., Pvt. (o) — Tapoco, N. C. 

Boccuzzi, Joseph James, Pvt. (a) 744 Greenwich St., New York, N. Y. 

Brackens, Clarence Henry, Pvt. (a) Wytheville, Va. 

Brant, Lloyd, Pvt. (a) 1630 Rosevelt Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Brown, Jesse, Pvt. (o)-.. - R.F.D. No. 2, Lebanon, O. 

Brown, Lloyd L., Pvt. (o) R.F.D. No. 4, Jackson, Mich. 

Brickey, Merle O., Pvt. (o,d).. Stillson, la. 

Brightman, James H., Pvt. (o,d) Brewersville, Ind. 

Burton, Samuel, Pvt. (o) Boswell, Ind. 

Campbell, Carrington, Pvt. (o) Wellston, O. 

Caroselli, Don, Pvt. (o) ..1212 Edgemont St., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Castor, Samuel B., Pvt. (a)... 67 E. Clinton St., Noblesville, Ind. 

Cheek, Benjamin R., Pvt (o) R.R. No. 3, Chapel Hill, N. C. 

Chichilos, Triandafilos, Pvt. (a) 33 W. 7th St., Gary, Ind. 

Civilett, Joseph H., Pvt. (o,d) 140 Clinton Ave., Fredonia, N. Y. 

Coen, Van H., Pvt. (o) 49th St., Bellaire, O. 

Corteal, Frank, Pvt. (a) .R.F.D. No. 1, Box 85, Connelsville, Fay- 
ette Co., Pa. 

Crawford, Newton W., Pvt. (a) Harrisburg, Tex. 

Crotshin, F'rank, Pvt. (o) Cashmere, W. Va. 

Dalrymple, Clifford B., Pvt. (a) -Jutland, N. J. 

Diemer, Otto, Pvt. (o) 57 So. Torrence St., Dayton, O. 

Dlouhy, John C, Pvt. (o)... 3892 E. 43rd St., Cleveland O. 

Dobish, John J., Pvt. (o) 761 Hudson St., Forest City, Pa. 

Domler, Clifford H., Pvt. (a) 79 Providence St., Providence, R. I. 

Donley, Homer A., Pvt. (a) St. Joe, Ind. 

Doughty, George F., Pvt. (a) Oakdale, Tenn. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 109 

Durea, Edwin D., Pvt. (o.d) 1936 3rd Ave., Huntington, W. Va. 

Dunn, Arthur F., Pvt. (o,d).— .11 Jefferson St., East Lynn, Mass. 

Eden, Paul, Pvt. (o.x) ...Ashland, Neb. 

Ellis, Stanley H., Pvt. (o) — Jetto, Mich. 

Elsey, Roger E. C, Pvt. (o) 4355 Hunt Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 

Farr, Eddie D., Pvt. (a).. Pyland, Miss. 

Finelli, Dominico, Pvt. (a,d).. U. S. A. 

Fite, William A., Pvt. (a,d) U. S. A. 

Fischer, John W., Pvt. (o,d) 2205 W. Burnett St., Louisville, Ky. 

Fitzgerald, Leo G., Pvt. (o) 1915 H St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 

Fletcher, Forrest E., Pvt. (o) Salem, Ind. 

Fletcher, Harold R., Pvt. (o) 506 Pennsylvania Ave., South Bend, Ind. 

Freyburger, Herman M., Pvt. (o) ..Blevins, Ark. 

Frost, Elmer J., Pvt. (o) 414J4 Broadway, Seattle, Wash. 

Gill, Allen G., Pvt. (o) 338 Walnut St., Statesville, N. C. 

Gilbertson, Charles E., Pvt. (o) Piano, 111. 

Gooch, William G., Pvt. (o) Barlow, Ky. 

Gourdin, Theodore T., Pvt. (o) 4527 Carthage Pike, St. Bernard, O. 

Gray, Leslie, Pvt. (o) McFall, Mo. 

Gregg, Orlando R., Pvt. (o) 200 Main St., Irwin, Pa. 

Griggsby, Jarret, Pvt. (o,x Ned, Ky. 

Hall, Albert L., Pvt. (a) 91 No. Swan St., Albany, N. Y. 

Hall, Frank C, Pvt. (o,d) 217 Railroad Ave., Cardington, O. 

Hancock, Joseph R., Pvt. (a)... Atwater, 111. 

Harberson, Wm. H., Pvt. (o) Lumberton, N. Mex. 

Henry, Murray, G., Pvt. (a) 528 Walnut St., Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., 

Pa. 

Heller, Richard D., Pvt. (a) R.F.D. No. 1, Boise, Idaho 

Holder, Glenn U., Pvt. (o,d) Pennsboro, W. Va. 

Hoover, Charles, Pvt. (o,d) Box 412, Uniontown, Pa. 

Howard, Benjamin E., Pvt. (o,d) 2831 Winchester St., Baltimore, Md. 

Hurdle, Harry, Pvt. (o,d). .1211 Public St., Cincinnati, O. 

Hyett, Roland, Pvt. (o) . .Gibsonia, Pa. 

Jacobs, Claude E., Pvt. (o,d). 655 W. 62nd St., Chicago, 111. 

Jenkinson, Roy A., Pvt. (o,d) 9th St., Hoquiam, Wash. 

Johnson, Charles G., Pvt. (o,d) 24 Pierpont Ave., Potsdam, N. Y. 

Joyce, John R., Pvt. (o,d) 250 N. 56th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Keith, Herbert A., Pvt. (o) .606 S. Buckeye St., lola, Kans. 

Kepler, Edward L., Pvt. (o) Fairmount, Ind. 

Kerns, Edward J., Pvt. (o) ..Clio, Mich. 

Ketzler, Cecil L., Pvt. (o) 1746 N. Lawrence St., Wichita, Kans. 

Kirshner, Erhart, Pvt. (o) 108 Luella Ave., Charleroi, Pa. 

Kozloski, Stanley, Pvt. (o) .2071 Oakley Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Kroog, Aaron, Pvt. (a,d) U. S. A. 

Lalone, Ralph, Pvt. (a,d) U. S. A. 

Lanehart, Walter M., Pvt. (o).. 137 E. Adams Ave., Detroit, Mich. 

LeClair, Leo, Pvt. (o) 625 E. 1st St., Des Moines, la. 

Legge, Henry W., Pvt. (o) R.F.D. No. 2, Dagmar, Mont. 

Levison, Aaron, Pvt. (o) Tottenville, Staten Island, N. Y. 

Llewellyn, Richard, Jr., Pvt. (a) Vandling, Pa. 

Logan, Frank F., Pvt. (a) 137 Essex St., Jersey City, N. J. 

Logan, Roy J., Pvt. (o) Eldred, 111. 

Lorigan, John F., Pvt. (o) 411 Linnaeus St., Cincinnati, O. 

Luke, Cecil L., Pvt. (o) Bethel, O. 



110 WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS 

Lynch, Edward J., Pvt. (o) Waucoma, la. 

Lytton, Amos H., PvL (a) c/o Mrs. J. H. Bernardin, Hotel Donora, 

Donora, Pa. 

MacNamara, Leo W., Pvt (o)... 5816 Cedarhurst St., West Philadelphia, Pa. 

Maeding, Jack, Pvt. (o,d) R.F.D. No. 1, Box 55, Needville, Tex. 

Maksimowicz, John, Pvt. (a) 7 Bay St., Jersey City, N. J. 

Malecki, Frank J., Pvt. (o) 3873 E. S7th St., Cleveland, O. 

Manette, John M., Pvt. (a,d) U. S. A. 

Manchester, William G., Pvt. (a) 121 Wadsworth Ave., Providence, R. I. 

Marks, Albert, Pvt., (o) 423 Saratoga Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Marx, Nicholas, Jr., Pvt (o,d) 1706 Logan St., Cincinnati, O. 

May, Edward C, Pvt (o,d) 134 Oakland Ave., Mathuen, Mass. 

Mayne, Robert M., Pvt (o,d) R.F.D. No. 3, Huntington, Ind. 

McAmdiless, Frank C, Pvt. (o) 5400 Compton St, Los Angeles, Cal. 

McCartney, Lewis E., Pvt. (a) Glenwillard, Pa. 

McKay, John, Pvt. (o) 915 Polk St., San Francisco, Cal. 

McLaughlin, Edward F., Pvt (a) 1606 Scott St., San Francisco, Cal. 

McManus, George P., Pvt (o) 2435 Westmar St, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

McManus, James F., Pvt. (o) 15 Cowan St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

McNamara, John D., Pvt. (o) 1632 Island Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Miller, Earl, Pvt (o) Red Key, Ind. 

Miller, John G., Pvt (o) 29th and Lexington Ave., Ashland, Ky. 

Miller, Paul W., Pvt. (o) 810 McCandless Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. 

Morse, Floyd I., Pvt (o) Coopersville, Mich. 

Moschgat, Emil C, Pvt (o) 325 Cliff St, Johnstown, Pa. 

Mowery, Lawrence A., Pvt (o) R.F.D. No. 1, Jeffersonville, O. 

Moynier, Louis, Pvt (o) .R.F.D. No. 4, Box 10, Bakersfield, Cal. 

Murphy, James A., Pvt (o) 709 Latrobe St., Parkersburg, W. Va. 

Mohn, Newton C, Pvt (a,d) U. S. A. 

Montgomery, Pearl E., Pvt (a,d) U. S. A. 

Nardiello, Manuel V., Pvt (o,x) 36 Burton St., Waterbury, Conn. 

O'Brien, Howard C, Pvt. (o) Deer Creek, 111. 

O'Neill, John F., Pvt. (o) Morrisdale, Pa. 

O'Neil, Roland, Pvt (o) R.F.D. No. 2, Star City, Ind. 

Orrison, Arthur N., Pvt. (o)... 1519 A St. N. E., Washington, D. C. 

Owen, Arthur G., Pvt (a) R.F.D. No. 2, Floydada, Tex. 

Palen, Howard J., Pvt. (o,d) Niobrora, Neb. 

Patterson, James T., Pvt (o) 2717 Cedar St, Louisville, Ky. 

Parry, William V., Pvt (a) 1348 W. 8th St, Topeka, Kan. 

Paine, Claud L., Pvt (o) Bona, Col. 

Pennington, Yates, Pvt. (o,d) 20 W. Madison Ave., Baltimore, Md. 

Pruette, Otto P., Pvt (o,x) Mount Hope, W. Va. 

Plunkett, Thomas B., Pvt (a,d)— — U. S. A. 

Rainey, Maurice, Pvt (o,d) 725 4th St N. E., Washington, D. C. 

Reed, Wilmer L., Pvt (o) .238 Cranbury Ave., Harrisburg, Pa. 

Reichard, Albert H., Pvt (o).. .2332 John St, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Reim, Frederick R., Pvt (o) 126 Kehr St, Buffalo, N. Y. 

Reyman, Charles W., Pvt. (o) Salem, Ind. 

Reynolds, Thomas J., Pvt (o) 863 Cornelia Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Romyer, John M., Pvt (a) Box 31, Yorkville, O. 

Rolands, Emrys, Pvt (o) 8 Abbot St, Plains, Pa. 

Rude, Velde R., Pvt. (a) 2612 Champagne Ave., Mattoon, 111. 

Rudy, Aaron H., Pvt (o) Henderson, Ky. 

Ruikka, Julius A., Pvt. (o) .Aurora, Minn. 



WITH "E" OF THE FIRST GAS HI 

Rusiski, William F., Pvt. (o) 2040 Gladstone St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Rust, Marvin C, Pvt. (o,x) R.F.D. No. 1, Barlow, Ky. 

Salerno, Guiseppe, Pvt. (a) 429 Monmouth St., Jersey City, N. J. 

Smith, Daniel, Pvt. (o) - Blevins, Ark. 

Smith, Merwyn H., Pvt. (a) 142 S. Cherry St., Easton, Pa. 

Souci, Wayne E., Pvt (o) .295 W. Main St., Battle Creek, Mich. 

Spasiano, Augustine, Pvt. (a) 34 Marion St., Ravenswood, L. I. City, 

N. Y. 

Sprick, Henry C, Pvt. (a) Titonka, la. 

Sterner, Floyd W., Pvt. (o) - 11 No. 4th St., Pastime Arcade, Easton, Pa. 

Stith, Albert R., Pvt. (o) -Sunman, Ind. 

Stonehouse, George G., Pvt. (a) Kingsford, Saskatchewan, Canada. 

Straub, Albert J., Pvt. (o) 223 E. Junction St., Paragould, Ark. 

Suttle, Walter A., Pvt. (o,d) - 1407 26th St., Meridian, Miss. 

Sweet, Edward R., Pvt. (o) 6624 Apple Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. 

Tetman, Walter L., Pvt. (o) R.F.D. No. 10, Dayton, O. 

Tennant, Walter J., Pvt. (a,d) U. S. A. 

Thompson, Albert, Pvt. (a) 700 Haskett, Dayton, O., c/o Miss Ida 

Bennett. 

Thorp, Joseph V., Pvt. (o) Box 143, Van Alstyne, Tex. 

Tieman, Harold, Pvt. (a) Route No. 3, Decatur, Ind. 

Timberlake, Robert L., Pvt. (o) 4169 Noble St., Bellaire, O. 

Tisdale, George W., Pvt. (o) Fullerton, Ky. 

Tucker, Floyd S., Pvt. (o) Creston, la. 

Walters, Frank J., Pvt. (o) Granville, 111. 

Ward, Louis A., Pvt. (o) .333 Melrose Ave., Toledo, O. 

Wegis, Anthony, Pvt. (o,d) 21 Chestnut St., Ridgefield Park, N. J. 

Wehausen, Henry, Pvt. (o) 1247 I St., N. E., Washington, D. C. 

Welch, Lee H., Pvt. (o) 512 Stickney Ave., Toledo, O. 

Wells, Archie, Pvt. (o) 802 York St., Louisville, Ky. 

White, Peter E., Pvt. (a) Missoula, Mont. 

Williams, John, Pvt. (o,d) -R.R. No. 1, Scottsburg, Ind. 

Williams, Vernon E., Pvt. (a) Glen Rock, Pa. 

Wilson, Frederick J., Pvt. (o) Mingo Junction, O. 

Wilson, William E., Pvt. (o) 815 Walnut St., Connersville, Ind. 

Wimer, John H., Pvt. (o) McKeen St., Zelienople, Butler Co., Pa. 

Wognakowski, Anthony A., Pvt. (a) 1531 Western Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Wood, Al., Pvt. (o)— 618 E. D St., Iron Mountain, Mich, 



AUTOGRAPHS 



AUTOGRAPHS 



AUTOGRAPHS 



AUTOGRAPHS 



H65 89 , 



m 



< F "». J. • • • • 






-^6 



^^^ 











• #•» 













' • • 











^ '^V^^y^ V'^^^v"^ "v^"^-*/^ 




c■'''^^- *''WM\^^ ■^"*$» ' ^im^ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper 

^V^ ''iK *»^^^v^* .V <^^ ♦XSKlr Neutralizing agent: Magnesium O) 

'.'.•' .0^ ^ 'o.»* ^A V^ *- 77i • Treatment Date: HAY 2 

.•_>K»^. 0-. ji^ .,r«^^*. -^^ ( PreservationTechno 

•^0 * WORLD LEADER ^}* PAPER PRESI 

. Q 111 Thomson Park Drive 

^ «<» Cranberry Township, PA 1 

"-^ (7941 779-2111 








'bl? 






jPv!/. 




%,** /^^\ %.c/ .-is^-. **^.** 

0^* *o.. -'.^>■^<v ....._V^->T..,.>- 

















v*^^ 



;•**'% 

















HECKMAN 
BINDERY INC. |§] 

^^^JUN 89 

^^^ N. MANCHESTER, 
^ ^ INDIANA 46962 










.0 v'. 




Ao, 




iC 



